Health and safety boost for workplaces

Rob Latham

07 May 2008

HEALTH and safety in Cotswolds businesses has been given a major boost by funding from Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT).
The Trust has granted £6,500 to Cotswold District Council in an attempt to safeguard workers in the workplace in certain industries around the district.
The council's food and safety team will work with hairdressers and caterers to increase the awareness of occupational dermatitis and visiting bakeries and paint sprayers to give training sessions on occupational asthma, as well as promoying the dangers of exposure to asbestos to a wide range of businesses.
Kate Bishop, the council's public protection manager, said: "We regulate health and safety at over 1,500 businesses around the district and we want to be able to help them further in ways they can improve their health and safety.
"Working with the PCT on this will be very beneficial for both parties, as it will help promote important health messages to relevant businesses and we hope that this will improve employees’ health."
Up to 7,000 people in Britain develop asthma or worsen their condition due to poor health and safety measures in the workplace and exposure to asbestos is the greatest cause of work related deaths in the UK.
Research by the Health and Safety Executive also showed 70 per cent of hairdressers suffer from skin damage and are 17 times more likely to develop dermatitis than other workers.

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