Local authorities across South West England have joined forces with the Health and Safety Executive to promote a 'sensible' approach to risk and combat some of the ‘silly myths’ which have grown up around health and safety issues.

Twelve district and county councils came together in Taunton on 30 October with Terry Rose, HSE Regional Director for Wales and South West, to sign up to the 'ten principles of sensible risk management'. These principles give organizations practical advice on what risk management should - and should not - encompass.

The twelve councils which signed up to the principles were: Bristol, Devon, Exeter, Mendip, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Poole, Somerset, South Hams, Swindon, Teignbridge and Torridge. Sedgemoor District Council signed up to the principles earlier this year.

The 'Sensible Risk' campaign was first launched at the Local Government Association's (LGA) annual conference in Birmingham in July 2006, where an initial group of local authority chief executives signed up to the ten principles.

More information can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm

•Date: 13th Nov 2008• Region: UK •Type: Article •Topic: Public sector
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