HSE works closely with employers, employees, trade associations, trade unions and other key stakeholders in the Mining industry to progress health and safety initiatives.
The Government and the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) are committed to improving standards and reducing injuries and ill health arising from work activities.
The Revitalising Health and Safety (RHS) strategy launched In June 2000 aims to raise the profile of Health & Safety at work and sets a number of challenging targets to be achieved by 2010:
As part of RHS the Health and Safety Commission has identified a number of priority topics for action: slips and trips, falls from height, workplace transport, occupational stress and muscuskeletal disorders.
Musculoskeletal disorders and Vibration are particularly high profile in mining due to an increased prevalence in recent years of related disorders.
In order to reduce the major accident potential of onshore and offshore major hazard industries Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets have been agreed. Industry targets contribute to both these and the revitalising health and safety initiative.