Less H&S means more time for emergencies
Leading fire and rescue figures are backing HSE efforts to strike the right balance between protecting fire-fighters and ensuring they can properly respond to emergencies
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has agreed a new policy statement with the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA), the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the government's Office of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser (OCFRA).
The statement sets out HSE's support for a sensible and proportionate approach to dealing with risk in the emergency service. Fire and Rescue Services operate under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which puts a legal duty on them to protect their workers. But the new statement makes clear that this doesn't prevent firefighters from doing their job.
The Government's Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, Sir Ken Knight, said: "The HSE has recognised that the work of the fire and rescue service is often carried out in a fast moving, extremely hazardous and emotionally charged environment. I welcome this statement which seeks to clarify the HSE expectations on fire and rescue services with regard to health and safety management, and aims to provide a consistent approach to applying health and safety enforcement and safety audits within the fire and rescue services' work."
HSE Chair Judith Hackitt said: "We want to clear up any misunderstandings - a proper approach to health and safety does not prevent fire-fighters from doing their job. Firefighters perform a unique and indispensible role. It is part of their job to intervene in dangerous situations to protect people and property."
Mark Smitherman, CFOA Operational Response Director, said: "Firefighters are perhaps unique in the risks they face and manage during their working lives. There are few jobs in the UK in which a manager will routinely have to make such complex decisions about sending colleagues into dangerous situations.
"Appropriate health and safety guidance will help us do this, and I am delighted that we now have this statement to clarify how the balance between operational need and health and safety can be struck."
