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ORR supports pledge to reduce the number work-related deaths

3 November 2009
ORR/23/09

Anna Walker (ORR chair) signing the pledgeAnna Walker, chair of the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), has signed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) pledge – an initiative which aims to bring organisations from all sectors together to commit to reduce the number of work-related deaths, injuries and ill-health.

ORR is now calling on others in the rail industry to make a similar commitment and demonstrate the importance they place on the health and safety of their workers, customers and any members of the public who may be affected by what they do.

Anna Walker (ORR chair) signing the pledge, accompanied by Bill Emery (ORR chief executive), Judith Hackitt (HSE chair) and Geoffrey Podger (HSE chief executive)Anna Walker said:

"We all have a responsibility to ensure that working environments are as safe as possible.

"Our role at the Office of Rail Regulation is to facilitate a safer railway. We have established a vision of zero workforce and industry caused passenger fatalities with an ever decreasing overall safety risk in the rail sector.

“That is why we support the Health and Safety Pledge which sets out to achieve a reduction in the number of work-related deaths by bringing organisations across all sectors together to commit to ensuring health and safety risks are minimised."

Judith Hackitt, Chair of HSE, said:

“We are delighted that ORR is signing the pledge and hope it encourages others in the rail industry to do the same.

“HSE and ORR have distinct areas of responsibility but as safety regulators we share what is most important - a commitment to reducing work-related deaths, injuries and ill-health. 

“Railways create unique, potentially very serious risks, but HSE and ORR work effectively together, sharing knowledge and developing consistent standards. This approach to health and safety is one that has HSE's new strategy at its very heart. It is one built around common sense and a drive to reduce the burdens on business.”

Notes to editors

  1. The ‘pledge’ is a way for organisations to show their support for HSE’s new strategy which sees strong leadership and a common-sense, practical approach to health and safety as a way to improve performance in this area and bring about real business benefits.
  2. Further information on the HSE pledge is available on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/strategy/pledge.htm 
  3. Images attached show Anna Walker (ORR chair) signing the pledge, accompanied by Bill Emery (ORR chief executive), Judith Hackitt (HSE chair) and Geoffrey Podger (HSE chief executive).
  4. In signing up to the pledge, ORR will:
    • agree to play our part in reducing the numbers of work-related deaths, injuries and ill-health in Great Britain;
    • call on employers to put health and safety at the heart of what they do and to take a common sense approach to health and safety;
    • commit to debunking myths around health and safety that trivialise the impact of injuries, ill health and deaths on individuals and their families;
    • recognise the importance of health and safety in difficult economic times and the dangers of complacency; and
    • pledge to work with the Health and Safety Executive and its partners to Be Part of the Solution. 

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