Minister praises employers work health contributions

The local economy loses some £330 million per year through work related ill health, Enterprise Minister, Ian Pearson has revealed.

The Minister was speaking at a ceremony in Belfast were he presented awards to ten local organisations, which have made a positive contribution to tackling ill health in the workplace.

The awards, organised by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), recognised the efforts that each winning organisation made during the European Week for Safety and Health in October 2003, in response to the theme: ‘Dangerous Substances – Handle with Care.’

Around 70,000 people suffer from ill health either caused or made worse by work, in Northern Ireland each year.

Speaking at awards ceremony, at the Culloden Hotel, Mr Pearson said: "One thousand workers are absent from work each and every day due to work related ill health. That is a serious human cost, especially as many of these illnesses result from exposure to dangerous substances used in the workplace such as latex, wood dust, solder fumes, chromate and asbestos.

"We all need to work together to ensure that people’s working lives are not cut short by debilitating illness or injury. The European Week for Safety and Health is a golden opportunity to raise the profile of health and safety in workplaces across Northern Ireland. Managing health and safety well not only means saving lives but also reduced costs, improved profits and enhanced competitiveness.”

The ten award winners were: Andrew Millar & Company, Newtownabbey; Almac Sciences, Craigavon; Health and Safety Team, Belfast City Council; Greenpark Healthcare Trust, Belfast; John Graham (Dromore) Ltd; John Henderson Limited, Newtownabbey; Musgrave Supervalu-Centra (NI); Newry & Mourne Health & Social Services Trust; Sperrin Lakeland Health & Social Care Trust Joint Health & Safety Committee; and Students & Staff, Technology & Design Department, La Salle Boys' School, Belfast.

(MB)