According to a specialist in health and safety and personal protective equipment (PPE), the government’s cuts to health and safety budgets could be putting workers in the manufacturing sector at risk.
Arco, which supplies advice and consultancy services along with health and safety equipment, has expressed its concerns about safety budget cuts to the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). The company claims that government cuts to the budget of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the department which ensures firms are investing in health and safety training and putting the right procedures and policies in place to keep workers safe, could be endangering lives.
In a submission of evidence to the DWP – which launched a review of the HSE in April with the aim of challenging the need for it as a public body and assessing whether it is fit for purpose – Arco said:
“Arco shares concerns with other industry players that ongoing cuts to the HSE budget will continue to impact on its long-term effectiveness and have a negative impact on enforcement and inspections.”
The findings of the DWP review are expected to be published at some time in autumn 2013.