ICHCA International and HSE launch initiative to develop a step change in port health and safety management practice
ICHCA (International Cargo Handling Coordination Association) and HSE’s Science and Research Centre (Health and Safety Executive) will be hosting a unique collaborative workshop in April, which will develop a new industry-wide strategy to provide much needed improvements to safety across the port sector.
This one day facilitated workshop, which will take place on 7 April at HSE’s Science and Research Centre in Buxton, UK, will form part of a larger ICHCA health and safety convention that includes the biannual meeting of the organization’s Technical Panel on 8 April. This Technical Panel will bring together experienced practitioners, legislators, consultants and other interested parties from across industry to debate and develop good practice in cargo handling worldwide.
Chairman of ICHCA International, John Beckett commented: “Despite dramatic improvements in the safety record for handling marine cargoes in ports over the last 20 years, the reduction in incidents has stagnated and there have been over 200 fatalities since the start of 2018. As safety professionals across the port and related industries, this is not a level we should feel comfortable with, especially when compared to the progress achieved in other sectors over the same period. As the leading voice in cargo handling, ICHCA International is determined to discover and develop new approaches, in partnership with the rest of the port sector, that will improve this situation.”
HSE’s Science and Research Centre, the world leading organisation in health and safety research is working with ICHCA in this vital international work to improve port and terminal safety standards. The workshop, open for all to attend, addresses issues of global significance and will also build on incident data gathered by ICHCA and the sectors approach to health and safety garnered from a roll-out “pilot” of the HSE Safety Climate Tool. The Safety Climate Tool can be used to assess the attitudes of individuals within an organisation towards health and safety issues and delivers an objective measure of safety culture.
Limited quantities of free places are available for the event, by booking at https://ichca.com/ichca-international-spring-2020-meeting where more information about accommodation and transport links can also be found.
ICHCA provides an internationally respected platform for coordinating the dialogue and build relationships between stakeholders in the cargo handling industry. Through its international chapters, and as the only UN NGO representing the cargo handling sector, ICHCA can globally influence the shaping and sharing of good practice for the benefit of all.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. The HSE prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. visit www.hse.gov.uk to find out more.