Council to invest in health and safety officers

Thurrock Council is to appoint four health and safety officials to ensure the workplace wellbeing of its staff is maintained at all times, it has been reported.

According to the Thurrock Gazette, the local authority will spend £130,000 a year on the new employees after deciding changes in the law meant they had to be more thorough with their health and safety management.

Head of public protection at the council, Lucy Magill, recently presented a report to the authorities' members highlighting how new legislation, such as the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act, placed new responsibilities on bosses.

Annie Ridgwell, council chief executive, told the news provider staff wellbeing was important to those in charge.

"My corporate management team feel that we really need this to meet the council's responsibility. We want to make sure the health and safety of our own employees is maximised at all times," she said.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health recently warned employers not to reduce their spending on health and safety management due to economic difficulties created by the credit crunch.