FES0091

Written evidence submitted by Institution of Occupational Safety and Health

About IOSH

1. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is the Chartered body for occupational safety and health professionals, with over 50,000 members based in the UK and abroad. IOSH has a vision of ‘A safe and healthy world of work’. As a Chartered body, we have charitable and international NGO status, with UN ECOSOC special consultative status, accredited organisation of the commonwealth, and working with International Labour Organisation (ILO) and World Health Organisation (WHO). As an international non-profit organisation, IOSH influences important decisions that affect the safety, health, and wellbeing of people at work worldwide. IOSH recognises and advocates for preventative, holistic and people-centred approaches within the workplace to prevent harm and protect people. This extends to, and demonstrates the importance of connecting occupational health, occupational safety and worker wellbeing to the nation’s health, and to the nation’s economic health.
2. In 2023-24, 138 people were killed and 604,000 injured in work-related accidents. Added to this, 1.7 million workers suffered from ill health which they believe to be caused or made worse by their work. This equates to 33.7 million working days lost to work-related illness and workplace injury. In addition, it is estimated that 12,000 lung disease deaths each year are linked to past work exposures. [1]
3. Poor occupational safety and health practice and conditions not only impact individual lives but also businesses, communities and the economy, with an estimated annual cost for Britain of £21.6bn[2]. Occupational safety and health capacity building is needed within businesses (managers, workers, professionals), regulators, and across institutions to drive a cultural shift that prevents harm and protects people at work. Education and skills development is a key part of capacity building and is critical for ensuring competency, and empowering workers to proactively identify hazards and risks, and to implement the necessary control measures that have been put in place to manage those risks, enabling the reduction of preventable work-related injuries, diseases, illnesses and fatalities. This will support the safety and health of all workers, social sustainability of businesses, and in turn protect the economy (as safe, healthy and well workers will remain in work, be able to return to work, and be productive at work). It also supports a safe and healthy working environment which is a fundamental principle and right at work.
4. IOSH would be delighted to be a conduit for collaboration between the further education sector, local government and employers in responding to the skills shortage within Occupational Safety and Health needs.

Skills and apprenticeships

5. The Employer Skills Survey has steadily reported an employee skills gap in occupational safety and health. In 2017 1,267,469 employees were not fully proficient in health and safety skills including first aid. This has increased to 1,723,674 in 2022. Compounding the skills gap is the decreasing number of training providers, dropping from 921,952 in 2017 to 849,968 listed in 2022. [3]
6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 14% growth in employment for occupational health and safety specialists and technicians from 2023 to 2033, indicating a global trend towards increased demand in this field.[4] Within the UK, The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, Regulation 7, Health and safety assistance, states ‘every employer shall…appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements…’. Put simply, the competent person or people will help that employer meet their health and safety legal duties. To be competent, that person(s) must have the skills, knowledge and experience to recognise hazards and out in proportionate and sensible controls.
7. IOSH want the students of today, and generations to come, to be the safe, healthy, and productive workers of tomorrow. If children start learning about safety and health at an early age and as part of the school curriculum, it becomes a natural part of how they work, play and live. Early OSH education empowers young people to proactively identify and manage risks, enabling the reduction of preventable work-related injuries and illnesses throughout their careers. IOSH want a generation of young workers equipped with OSH knowledge will bring long-term economic benefits to business.
8. IOSH further believes that providing students with foundational Occupational safety and health (OSH) competencies empowers them to recognise dangerous situations, to speak-up and raise issues with their coworkers and supervisors, and work with their employers to prevent and mitigate risks, seek opportunities, improve workplaces and prevent harm (where harm can be physical and mental).
9. A study that followed students in France for two years after leaving a baccalaureate or apprenticeship program, found that students who received Occupational Safety and Health training during schooling had two times fewer workplace injuries than those who did not (Boini, Colin, & Grzebyk, 2017).[5]
10. This was further supported by a study found that young workers who receive OSH education registered a 50 per cent lower rate of accidents at work than those who have not received such education (conducted by the National Institute of Research and Safety, INRS, 2018)[6]
11. The International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) project “Building a Generation of Safe and Healthy Workers – Safe Youth@Work Project” has been running since 2019. This aims to mainstream OSH in vocational training programmes, awareness raising of vulnerability of young workers and enhancing the technical capacities of labour inspectors to better identify the occupational risks faced by youth at work. [7]

Current challenges for apprenticeships

12. Due to financial pressures, the number of university courses providing health and safety is decreasing with only 22 Universities in the UK providing courses. Level 7 apprenticeships have so far helped to ensure a continuous pipeline of skilled professionals equipped to support employers and tackle complex health and safety challenges in workplaces, including within emerging sectors such as the green economy.
13. We understand that the Government rightly wants to prioritise young people taking part in apprenticeships. Traditionally, Level 7 apprenticeships have been undertaken by older workers.  We want to ensure all workers are empowered to further develop in the workplace, especially in relation to occupational safety and health. Added to this, we are on the cusp of a huge shift in workforce demographics, with ‘baby boomers’ retiring and an influx of younger workers, with 5 generations being in the workplace, so we do need to ensure that all are protected, and the required level of awareness and capacity is in place for occupational safety and health.

The role of Skills England in meeting the Government's industrial strategy and boosting economic growth.

14. The gap and skills shortage will also have an impact on the political agenda, such as the Government’s ambition to build 1.5 million houses by the end of this Parliament. Given 51 people lost their lives on construction sites last year[8] in the UK, regulation and enforcement, prevention and control strategies, and competencies (skills, knowledge and experience) are key to managing risk within this sector. There will be many new and unskilled employees joining the sector (estimated over 251,500 additional workers required by 2028[9]), many of whom will be self-employed and/or sub-contractors, and it is those workers who are most at risk of injury and ill health on construction sites. IOSH are also concerned about how many migrant workers will be working in construction and may not speak English as a first language. We want to make sure that everyone is safe. So, safety and health professionals and safety and health training and awareness will be essential to ensuring the Government meets its house building target.
15. The demand for occupational safety and health expertise remains strong due to its critical role in various industries, especially in high hazard industries, and emerging sectors. The green economy is essential to meeting UK’s Net Zero Carbon commitments by 2030 with an estimated 2 million green jobs. Despite these jobs supporting environmental goals, they can often expose workers to traditional and new/ emerging safety and health risks. For example, wind energy workers face hazards such as working at height with a risk of falls, electrocution, as well as exposure to harsh offshore working conditions. Similarly, solar energy workers may encounter exposure to toxic chemicals. Common risks include musculoskeletal injuries, falls, and exposure to unsafe materials.
16. It is essential that Skills England enables and empowers new occupational safety and health professionals to be able to meet the Industrial Strategy aims.
17. Occupational safety and health (OSH) skills are integral to achieving the goals of the UK's Invest 2035: Modern Industrial Strategy. The strategy emphasizes fostering economic growth, innovation, and sustainability while addressing key challenges such as skills shortages and workforce development. OSH plays a critical role in ensuring that workplaces are safe, healthy, and conducive to productivity, which directly supports the strategy's objectives of creating high-quality jobs and enhancing industrial resilience. For example, a robust focus on OSH can mitigate workplace injuries and illnesses, reducing absenteeism and boosting workforce efficiency and productivity. This aligns with the strategy's emphasis on providing businesses with the skilled talent they need to grow while maintaining long-term economic stability.

Impact of mental health crisis and long-term illnesses on workforce

18. Deloitte has estimated that poor mental health alone costs the UK £51bn[10] a year taking in wider economic impacts. However, Deloitte found that for every £1 spent on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce, employers get (on average) about £4.70 back in increased productivity.[11]
19. The Government has rightly identified that workers health is critical for the long-term economic success of the country. Occupational safety and health professionals play a critical role in ensuring that workers are empowered and enabled to be fully productive workers.

March 2025