Can premiums be safely lowered?
January 1st 2006

"Yes" is the insurers'answer if the country's health and safety experts have their way. "The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) calls on the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to support lower Employers' Liability premiums for companies employing chartered IOSH members."

The demands voiced by the President of IOSH Lawrence Waterman come on the eve of Chartered Status for Health and Safety Practitioners. In a letter to the ABI, he argues that companies receiving competent health and safety advice from a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner are likely to suffer fewer accidents in the workplace, resulting in fewer claims against insurance.

The call comes as the Institution gets set to designate 6,000 of its 28 000-strong membership as the first-ever Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners this week. This designation recognises health and safety as vital a management discipline as finance, marketing or human resources. It means that companies, in their staff development and recruitment will be able to specify particular levels of professional experience for health and safety practitioners. These practitioners, to achieve chartered status, must attain a degree or equivalent qualification, carry out two years of Initial Professional Development (IPD), and commit to audited Continuing Professional Development for the rest of their professional career.

Lawrence Waterman comments: "Companies that have a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner, either in-house or as an adviser, can be certain that the organisation is working consistently and reliably to the highest possible standard. This means insurers can be certain that health and safety is being administered to a standard that should give rise to a minimum number of accidents."