An improvement to Hong Kong’s health and safety record has been welcomed by the British Safety Council, which is pressing the message home that good health and safety is good business.
With fewer people being killed, injured or made ill by work in Hong Kong, Alex Botha, Chief Executive, British Safety Council commented, “Hong Kong has made significant strides in improving occupational safety and health, demonstrated by strong reductions in occupational injuries. Since 2006, there has been a near 20% reduction in such injuries and Hong Kong is in a good position to make further improvements.”
He added, “With an estimated 4% of global GDP lost due to health and safety failure, with over 2.3 million people senselessly killed each year, we know that key to delivering improvements is to convince leaders—both in business and politics—that there are economic as well as moral reasons to protect workers.”
The Council’s recent report into the business benefits of health and safety shows the great extend at which employers—and society more generally—gains from a healthy and safe workforce in terms of increased productivity, reduced wastage and enhanced public reputation for delivery without the disruption of poorly managed risks. Botha will be sharing this message with the Council’s members in Hong Kong, some of whom are in high hazard industries like construction and manufacturing, in order to stimulate action.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
