The Live Wire

Health and Safety

The paper industry takes the health, safety and welfare of its employees very seriously, and is constantly reviewing and improving procedures to make the industry even safer.

Within the framework of CPI, health and safety is a high priority which Members' value as an integral part of the service it provides. As such CPI serves the health and safety needs of Member companies, their respective sites and employees by:

•keeping Members informed regarding Health and Safety Regulations and Best Practice;
•co-coordinating PABIAC activities throughout the Membership;
•providing and/or facilitating Health and Safety training.

CPI works in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and trade unions, through the Paper and Board Industry Advisory Committee (PABIAC), to agree new strategic directions for the industry.

In July 2008, PABIAC launched the second phase of its strategy to secure further improvements in health and safety performance in the papermaking, corrugated packaging and recovered paper sectors over the next three years.

Report

The new strategy - 'Making a difference 2008-11' - builds on the achievement by the industry during the first phase of the strategy (2005-2008) which saw a reduction in its overall reported non-fatal injury rate by 22% and a reduction in the number of working days lost by 35%.

'Making a difference 2008-2011' sets out the strategic direction for health and safety in the industry. It sets specific and ambitious targets for reducing annual injury incidence rates from the current figure of around 1,170 per 100,000 employees to less than 850 per 100,000 employees by 2011. Other objectives address the need for improved health and safety management performance and demonstrating a continuously improving health and safety climate. There is also an objective to improve understanding and control of occupational health.

Accident Performance

In recent years the paper industry has shown a determined effort to be amongst the best performing industries in manufacturing. By setting hard accident reduction targets and through industry initiatives, statistics display a continuous downward trend in workplace accidents and significant reductions in major injuries.

For further information on Health & Safety please go to: http://www.paper.org.uk/services/health_safety/health_safety.html
or contact Andrew Braund, Head of Health & Safety at CPI – email: abraund@paper.org.uk.

Confederation of Paper Industries

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