Science and Evidence Delivery Plan 2019-2020 - HSE
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Health and Safety
Executive
Science and Evidence
Delivery Plan 2019–2020
Foreword
Science, engineering and evidence underpins The outputs from our work include a suite
the work of HSE, and provides a basis for of national statistics, post-implementation
robust decision making. It is a requirement reviews, peer reviewed publications,
for HSE under the HSW Act to, ‘make such involvement in national and international
arrangements as it considers appropriate committees as well as significant
for the carrying out of research and the contributions to technical conferences
publication of the results of research and and sector-specific events.
the provision of training and information,
Our knowledge is transferred through
and encourage research and the provision
training and through commercial activities
of training and information by others’.
so that the information we generate is
Our Science and Evidence Strategy and available in a suitable form for those who
our Science and Evidence Investment Plan will benefit from it.
describe how we do this, and how this links
The data we collect is now informed by
to HSE’s broader strategy and plan. This
our Measurement Strategy to evaluate
science and evidence delivery plan provides
the success of HSE’s interventions and,
more detail on what we will actually deliver.
through growing external investment, we
Increasingly, our work is funded jointly with can create more intelligence from our
other organisations as ‘Shared Research’, cumulative data collected over the last
which enables us to develop shared 40 years for the benefit of others, both in
solutions to problems faced by both the the UK and overseas.
regulator and the regulated.
HSE’s mission is the prevention of
We have also published our Areas of work-related death, injury and ill health.
Research Interest so that others (including The science, engineering and evidence that
the Research Councils) can see the big we provide each year supports this mission
questions we would like to address. Central and enables a better working world.
to our approach are the science hubs; each
provides a focus for thinking and enables us
not only to consider the issues of today, but
Professor Andrew Curran
also how we might address the knowledge
Chief Scientific Adviser and
gaps to equip us to deal with the future
Director of Research
world of work.
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Regulatory frameworks which are fit for the future
Vision: Regulatory frameworks which are fit for the future ensuring health and
safety compliance and enabling innovation in the workplace.
The aim of the programme of work in this Research in this science hub will be developed
science hub is to develop our understanding to understand how well current regulatory
of the current and future world of work and frameworks can accommodate expected
to ensure that our regulatory framework is fit trends in work demographics, working
for purpose. patterns, technologies, health hazards, new
uses for old substances and how regulatory
In recent years, HSE has undertaken an
frameworks may need to change.
extensive review of health and safety
regulations and has simplified the regulatory It will also provide the evidence base to
framework, making legislation easier to target improvements in regulation where
understand and comply with. required. We will develop evidence for
innovative approaches to regulation
We will continue with this work, ensuring
through collaboration across HSE and other
science, engineering evidence and
government departments, to make sure
analysis underpins and makes a significant
we maintain our world-class reputation for
contribution to meeting the government’s
regulatory excellence.
better regulation agenda and Business
Improvement Target. Work in this science hub links to the
following key action in HSE’s Business Plan:
●● Provide an effective regulatory
framework
What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Provided analytical support to policy Union, including preparing for any
development including impact necessary changes to the chemicals
assessments (eg Carcinogens and regulatory regime
Mutagens Directive) and post-
●● Worked across HSE and industry to
implementation reviews (eg Biocidal
develop shared research in the areas of
Products and Chemicals Regulations)
remote visual inspection and wearable
●● Contributed to the government’s work devices for health and safety
on the UK’s exit from the European
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Our priorities for 2019/20
●● Further develop our approach to using Industrial Strategy, ensuring that HSE
our evidence base to inform future remains an enabling regulator for
regulatory approaches and ensure innovation in the workplace
serious risks are diagnosed and
●● Progress work that will help us
proportionate action is taken
understand the role of technology
●● Through concepts such as the in helping support our regulatory
Regulatory Intelligence Hub, develop framework. This will range from
links between regulators where data exploring trends and drivers for
and intelligence can be shared to change in regulatory approaches, to
improve efficiency and effectiveness opportunities to enhance our regulatory
functions through use of technology
●● Develop relationships and research
such as artificial intelligence and the
that will help address the health
internet of things
and safety aspects of the UK’s
Our objectives for 2019/20
●● Create HSE research topic groups in ●● Develop a programme of research on
strategic areas (eg artificial intelligence) workplace sensors that will coordinate
to help coordinate, develop and the challenges, opportunities and
disseminate research pitfalls of using this technology for
workplace health and safety
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Our key projects for delivery 19/20 and beyond
Impact and analysis Provide analytical support to policy development Ongoing
including impact assessments and post-
implementation reviews
Support regulatory change following the UK’s exit Ongoing
from the European Union
Machinery controls Provide insight about emerging technologies in the Q31
field of machinery controls to inform future HSE
policy and guidance
Targeting interventions Improving the approach to validating sites for Q3
inspection using new data and updated methods
Process improvement Integrating the collection, storage and Q3
for land use planning management of spatial data to improve the
efficiency and efficacy of HSE’s statutory land use
planning responsibilities
Local exhaust ventilation Investigate the feasibility of using effective Q3
(LEV) commissioning of LEV to establish benchmarks for
performance monitoring and potentially replace the
need for annual statutory test (TExT)
1
The dates given for all delivery/milestones are based on the latest information and therefore subject to change.
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The right evidence for the future
Vision: To take a long-term view on the development of the evidence base that
can support HSE’s long-term strategic approach.
HSE’s work is underpinned by robust best use of new data collection, modelling
scientific evidence. Our evidence base and analytical techniques to provide
needs updating to reflect the rapid and insight for our decisions on prioritisation,
complex changes in the workplace, targeted intervention, tracking progress and
workforce, working patterns and the evaluation of impact.
working environment, and, as a result,
Where appropriate, we will publish our data
the changes of HSE’s priorities and
and methods and share technical expertise
intervention strategies.
in data analytics and measurement science
To ensure our evidence-gathering systems with other regulators and enhance our
continue to be effective and efficient – not regulatory intelligence networks.
only fit for current priorities and intervention
Work in this science hub links
strategies but also flexible enough to meet
to the following key actions in
future challenges – we need to make our
HSE’s Business Plan:
evidence base coherent, strategic, future-
proofed, and focused on priority areas. ●● Lead and engage with others to improve
workplace health and safety
We will keep abreast of the advances in
measurement science and technology to ●● Provide an effective regulatory framework
improve evidence gathering. We will make
What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Published a comprehensive suite of ●● Completed several projects to improve
health and safety statistics, to time HSE’s evidence base for effective risk
and quality standards and with further management in areas of cryogenic liquid
enhanced presentation spills, warehouse fires at whisky storage
sites, fairground rides, safety-critical
●● Developed a coherent overall package
roles, wood dust exposure and modern
of measurement plans to support
airborne disinfection
the monitoring and evaluation of
the Health and Work programme,
as part of implementation of the
HSE Measuring Strategy
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Our priorities for 2019/20
●● Coordinate the delivery of the ●● Develop further the Workplace
measurement plans and ensure the Intelligence System for Exposure-
delivery joins up with other relevant control in Great Britain (WISE-GB)
areas of work across HSE
●● Explore an alert system for
●● Collect, compile and publish statistics identification of new and emerging
on work-related ill health, injuries and health and safety risks
associated impacts
●● Continue to explore suitable
●● Provide appropriate statistical approaches to meet challenges
and analytical support to HSE’s and opportunities of advances in
policy, communications, sector and measurement science and technology
operational teams
Our objectives for 2019/20
●● Informed by the Measuring Strategy, ●● Communicate and translate the
deliver the measurement plans to improved evidence base and lessons
assess the impact of the Health and learned to inform the continued
Work programme in the health and development and implementation of
safety system the Health and Work programme
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Our key projects for delivery 19/20 and beyond
National statistics Publish a suite of health and safety statistics Q3
Monitoring and evaluation A longitudinal survey of employers and employees Ongoing
of interventions to measure changes in awareness, behaviours and
control measures
Conduct secondary analyses of the Health and Ongoing
Work programme evaluation baseline survey
and other relevant surveys to better understand
employers’ and employees’ awareness, behaviours
and control measures of work-related ill health
risks in Great Britain
Informed by our measuring strategy, implement Q2
a coordinated and consistent approach to
measurement to assess the impact of the Health
and Work programme. and make this approach
visible nationally and internationally
Monitoring and evaluation of the Going-to-the- Q3
Right-Places (GttRP) project
Data collection Capturing workplace exposure-control intelligence Ongoing
from health-related evaluation visits by HSE
inspectors
Measurement science Advancing measurements of occupational Ongoing
and technology exposure to metals hazardous to health for
effective risk control
Advancing the measurement of occupational Ongoing
exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS)
Measuring asbestos in air and lung samples; Q4
assessment of an alternative method
Ensuring better isocyanate exposure assessment Q4
to better protect health at work
Modelling and risk HSE’s modelling for predicting chorine dispersion Ongoing
assessment in the ‘Jack Rabbit II’ experiments to provide the
right evidence base for land use planning
Development and maintenance of risk assessment Ongoing
models and guidance for land use planning
Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses of the Q1
regulatory model, HardSPEC, for herbicide use
Methodology Feasibility study for developing an occupational Ongoing
exposure intelligence system in Great Britain, using
respirable crystalline silica (RCS) as an example
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The impact of demographic change on the health and safety
of the future workforce
Vision: To provide a body of evidence that supports mitigating, preventing and
managing the impact of demographic changes on the health and safety of the
future workforce, informing interventions and solutions while positioning HSE
as the thought leader in this area.
A future health and safety challenge will Ten areas with gaps in demographics
be managing the risks from changes in knowledge and evidence have been identified:
the demographic profile of Great Britain’s
●● understanding and managing extended
workforce. This science hub aims to identify
working lives;
emerging hazards and risks arising from
these changes, including consideration ●● competency and skills for the world of
of the interaction between demographic work;
changes, and changes to the work
●● risk attitudes and behaviours;
environment and work organisation.
●● working with chronic conditions;
Demographics typically involves the
statistical study of human populations ●● impact of technology;
(eg in terms of size, distribution and
●● insecure and remote working;
characteristics), but we are adopting a wider
interpretation of the term to cover contextual ●● impact of sedentary work;
factors – changes in the workplace, including
●● impact of occupational exposures on
technological change and changes in
working for longer;
exposures – and factors such as skills.
●● women’s health; and
The longer-term aspirations for the
demographics programme of work are to ●● understanding and managing
mitigate, prevent and manage the impact communication and engagement in the
of adverse demographic changes on the future workforce.
health and safety of the workforce and help
These areas were refined into four priority
optimise efficient and productive future
areas of research interest: extended working
working. The outputs from the programme
lives; competency and skills; risk attitudes;
will inform appropriate interventions and
and behaviours and working cultures
solutions, and position HSE as the thought
(including understanding the health and safety
leader in demographic change related to
impact of a 24/7 always-on working culture).
occupational health and safety.
Our work will address these areas, along
Dutyholders will be better prepared and use
with the health and safety challenges that
appropriate interventions and solutions to
arise from the interaction between them.
manage demographic risks, demographics
Work in this science hub will link to the
evidence will be used to support delivery
following actions in HSE’s Business Plan:
of commitments in our sector action plans,
and our policy making will be informed by ●● Secure effective management and
demographic and foresight evidence – making control of risk
it more relevant for the future workforce.
●● Lead and engage with others to improve
workplace health and safety
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What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Completed a scoping study (and ●● Produced new project outlines to
engagement exercise) that identified address the priority research questions
the focus for HSE’s work on managing identified in the extended working lives
health and safety risks from extended scoping study – using the evidence from
working lives. This obtained knowledge the gig economy work to inform these
on the risks from extended working lives
●● Continued our collaboration with the
and identified gaps in knowledge and
University of Manchester to improve
priority research questions for HSE
our understanding of the health of older
●● Completed research and produced a professional drivers, and supported
report on the gig economy. This set out production of industry-led guidelines for
the key characteristics and size of the promoting health and wellbeing in this
gig economy, along with potential health cohort of workers
and safety implications
●● Engaged widely with academia and
others to discuss collaboration, funding
and potential to deliver joint research
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Our priorities for 2019/20
●● Commission and begin project to anticipate and keep pace with
work to obtain evidence that addresses demographic change, and to identify
the research questions identified potential implications for HSE
during 2018-19
●● Continue monitoring demographic
●● Continue engagement activity research being undertaken by others,
both within HSE and with external and review gaps in knowledge
stakeholders and evidence about the impact of
demographic change on the health and
●● Continue using evidence generated
safety of the future workforce
from demographics foresight activity
Our objectives for 2019/20
●● Collaborate with the Thomas Ashton ●● Continue engagement with existing
Institute to increase the existing body stakeholders, and extend this network,
of demographics evidence – explore to improve HSE’s current knowledge
a joint National Institute for Health and understanding about the impact
Research bid based on evidence from of demographic change on workplace
collaborative research to date health and safety
Key projects for delivery 19/20 and beyond
Extended working lives Feasibility study: building a numerical ‘picture’ of Q3
extended working lives
Understanding changes in risk attitudes and Starting
behaviours 2019/20
The impact of practices used for managing Starting
extended working lives 2019/20
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The right intervention strategy for the British industrial
asset base
Vision: To have effective intervention strategies that enable innovation with the
British industrial asset base while minimising risk and improving occupational
health and safety.
Our work in this area supports all Our work will focus on developing our
industrial sectors across Great Britain, understanding of how materials and
including the many highly specialised structures degrade over time (asset life
industries which are strategically important extension and decommissioning); informing
to the country’s economy and social risk-based inspection using non-destructive
infrastructure including oil and gas, and autonomous techniques and how
chemicals, explosives, mining and the designers and manufacturers contribute
bioeconomy, and all operating assets to improvements in occupational health
within the major hazards sector. and safety.
This sector can potentially cause great harm We aim to have improved evidence on the
to their workers, the environment and the emerging risks from new technologies,
public if associated risks are not properly advanced manufacturing methods and
managed. New technologies are also being ageing infrastructure, giving dutyholders
introduced to secure the future energy and stakeholders a better understanding of
supply and reduce carbon missions (eg their potential impact.
renewables) and improve productivity.
Work in this science hub links to the following
Work in this science hub will help ensure key actions in HSE’s Business Plan:
that HSE has the science and evidence
●● Reduce the likelihood of low-frequency,
needed to underpin our policy in key areas
high-impact catastrophic incidents
across the entire UK industrial asset base,
to support HSE’s operational activities now ●● Secure effective management and
and in the future. control of risk
What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Literature review and experimental ●● Research on tower crane slewing
work to improve understanding and brakes which was used to inform a
the advice HSE provides on oil mist revision of the product standard for
detectors – a potential flammable tower cranes (BSEN14439:2006) and
risk mitigation technique in offshore raise awareness with UK tower crane
protection systems suppliers and users of slewing brakes
and catastrophic collapse
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Our priorities for 2019/20
●● Support the key elements of integrity of new assets and emerging
leadership, worker involvement, technologies
competence and asset integrity
●● Provide scientific support to securing
across all major hazard sectors
improvement in the effective
●● Focus on decommissioning and management of network assets
ageing infrastructure, and the including gas risers in high-rise homes
Our objectives for 2019/20
●● Engage with internal and external ●● Create two HSE research topic
stakeholders to help facilitate the groups to target the priority areas of
sharing of learning based on evidence decommissioning and dismantling
from our applied science and research assets, and securing improvements in
with those who can influence health the effective management of network
and safety improvements assets including gas risers in high-rise
homes to coordinate, develop and
disseminate research that will underpin
safety improvements in these areas
Our key projects for delivery 2019/20 and beyond
Flammable atmospheres The testing of synthetic fire-resistant fluids to Q4
and thermal effects determine the effects of degradation
Assessment of high-heat flux jet fire test methods Q2
Plant and machinery Soft landing systems – an evidence-based review Q3
Structural integrity Investigate stainless steel corrosion cracking in 2021
offshore assets
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Taking responsibility for health at work
Vision: To identify, develop and analyse the evidence base needed to help
people in the health and safety system ensure a healthy, productive workforce.
We will commission work under this priority gaps remain, particularly regarding the
area to identify and develop the evidence contemporary situation in Great Britain, in
necessary for HSE to implement its Health respect of practical and effective control
and Work programme, and more widely, to measures, and evidence-based evaluations
help people in the health and safety system of successful interventions.
take greater responsibility for health at work.
The rapidly changing nature of work
The Health and Work programme will focus in Great Britain also means that in the
HSE’s major efforts on those conditions future other health issues, such as ageing
that are widespread, have life-limiting workforces, obesity, sedentary behaviour
or life-altering impacts, and with the and cardiovascular disease, may become
greatest economic consequences. Stress, increasingly important.
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and
Work in this science hub area links
occupational lung diseases (OLDs) are
to the following key actions in
foremost among these.
HSE’s Business Plan:
Despite these occupational ill-health
●● Lead and engage with others to improve
conditions being extensively researched
workplace health and safety
internationally, significant evidence
What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Surveys of standards of control and ●● Epidemiological review of
airborne exposure including: GB silicosis cases
• exposure to respirable crystalline silica ●● Laboratory evaluation of low-dust
exposure during demolition; control solutions for bakeries
• improving intelligence and
●● Selection and use of PPE to protect
occupational hygiene control
medical staff against infectious diseases
standards in the waste and recycling
industry; ●● Literature reviews of the effectiveness of
• efficiency of exposure controls for manual handling training and the use of
carcinogens during electroplating; wearable technologies to monitor and
• wood working; and reduce risks of musculoskeletal disorders
• emissions from 3D printing
●● Ergonomic assessments for single-
person deliveries and the use of
telescopic cleaning poles
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Our priorities for 2019/20
●● Provide evidence and analysis ●● To develop a multi-centre study of
to support the development, occupational exposure to respirable
implementation and evaluation of new dust with automated and remote
interventions to tackle priority health capture of data using low-cost
risks in support of the Health and Work wireless sensors
programme and sector plans
●● To improve our understanding of the
●● To expand our collection of health future nature and burden of work-
outcome data using digital tools related ill health, taking account of
and data-sharing agreements with the changing patterns and nature of
occupational health providers, work, new and emerging risks, and
dutyholders and other stakeholders changing demography
●● To further explore the use of ●● To continue to engage and work
wearable technologies to monitor with other government departments
musculoskeletal and other health risks to share evidence and identify
opportunities joint research
Our objectives for 2019/20
●● Engage with internal and external ●● Co-create three collaborative
experts to undertake a biennial review research proposals with the Thomas
of occupational health risks Ashton Institute and other external
organisations to expand the scope
of HSE’s health research through the
leveraging of wider resources
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Our key projects for delivery 19/20 and beyond
Occupation Collation and analysis of exposure and health surveillance data Ongoing
lung disease on silica-exposed workers
Longitudinal study exposure and respiratory health in brick Ongoing
manufacturing, foundries and stoneworkers
Respiratory health risks from processing of natural and Q1
artificial stone
Occupational hygiene survey of control of diesel engine exhaust Q2
emissions in underground mine workings
Hydrogen sulphide releases during the stirring of animal slurry Q2
Evaluation of new international standards for respiratory Q4
protective equipment
Dust and bioaerosol exposure in livestock and vegetable farming Q4
Ambient levels of asbestos in current workplaces 2020/21
The use of biological monitoring to evaluate the sustainability of 2020/21
control improvements in electroplating
MSDs Review of MSD risks in construction Q4
Assessing the application, use and health risk implications of Q4
exoskeletons in GB industry
Stress Evaluating workplace interventions that aim to reduce the Starting
incidence of work-related stress and improve worker wellbeing 2019/20
Other health Occupational health fitness standards for divers Ongoing
conditions
Current control practice and exposures to noise and hand-arm Q2
vibration in the construction industry
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Lessons learned from investigations
Vision: Equip HSE with a lesson learning strategy that makes a tangible
contribution to the prevention of death, injury and ill health in GB workplaces.
HSE receives information on around 70 000 safety community. Benefits will include the
reportable health and safety incidents each development of more effective, targeted risk
year and around 4000 of these incidents are control strategies and guidance provided
subsequently investigated. In addition, our to industry. There will be opportunities for
inspectors carry out approximately 20 000 us to better engage with, and influence,
proactive workplace inspections each year, stakeholder groups, particularly SMEs.
generating intelligence on prevailing working
practices and areas of health and safety Technical support for investigations,
concern. The potential for us to use these inspections and enforcement
data sources to learn lessons, including
HSE’s focus is on the health and safety of
why different failures in health and safety
workers, but our regulatory interest extends
occur and how they might be prevented,
to cover the impact on the general public,
is substantial.
consumers and the environment. Of the
Recent developments in, and increased use inspections and investigations undertaken
of, data analytic tools and applications, such each year, a significant proportion require
as text mining, natural language processing, science or engineering knowledge to
predictive analytics and statistical machine identify the causes of problems and
learning, have made the task of generating to identify reasonable and practicable
insights and learning from health and safety solutions. We have specialists from over
data sources, particularly free text sources, 20 disciplines who provide expert technical
more achievable. knowledge in support of investigations.
The aim of this science hub is to ensure that Work in this science hub links
the generation of lessons learned insights to the following key actions in
from our routine sources of health and HSE’s Business Plan:
safety data is maximised, and that these are
●● Secure effective management
used across HSE and the wider health and
and control of risk
What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Officially launched the Thomas Ashton ●● Set up a five-year ‘Discovering Safety’
Institute for Risk and Regulatory Programme funded by Lloyds Register
Research, in April 2018. This partnership Foundation which is being delivered
between HSE and the University of through the Institute in conjunction
Manchester and hub for risk and with experts in data science/analytics,
regulatory excellence, reaches artificial intelligence and machine
out globally through its educational learning, including HSE staff
activities and acts as an authoritative
●● Supported regulatory colleagues to
source of health and safety knowledge
improve the timely completion of
and expertise
investigations
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Our priorities for 2019/20 and beyond – Lessons learned
●● Improve methods of capturing, ●● Enhance our ability to generate
recording and storing of knowledge data-driven knowledge, insights and
generated by investigation activities, learning from our diverse range of
maximising the potential to generate routine health and safety data sources,
wider learning with emphasis on how it is brought
together and analysed
●● Enhance our ability to make full use
of the knowledge generated from ●● Enhance our ability to share
investigation activities, particularly knowledge, insights and learning,
how it is brought together and internally and across the wider health
synthesised and safety system
Our priorities for 2019/20 and beyond – Technical support for
investigations, inspections and enforcement
●● Sustain improvement in the provision effectiveness and efficiency of the
of timely/immediate technical support enforcement process
to incident investigations, anywhere in
●● Provide specific investigation support
Great Britain
and any subsequent enforcement
●● Development and deployment of activity including management of
appropriate new techniques and evidence and subsequent expert
technologies that improve the witness input
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Work with strategic stakeholders and key partners
HSE’s Shared Research programme will work with us to ensure that we can
supports external investment and undertake a comprehensive programme of
collaboration in our research portfolio. work to address the identified requirements.
This allows resources and expertise to be
By supporting the shared research
shared for the benefit of all.
approach, contributing partners will not
Proposed projects seek to address only be able to help shape the focus of the
recognised knowledge gaps that are of research activity, but also gain ongoing
interest to both HSE and other stakeholders, access to emerging findings and have early
to enable us to better understand and sight of outputs.
manage health and safety challenges.
The programme will benefit further from the
Through workshops with regulatory, industry skill base of the Thomas Ashton Institute.
and other stakeholders, a consensus focus
Work in this area links to the following key
and approach are agreed and a summary
actions in HSE’s Business Plan:
project opportunity document is developed.
Partners are then sought to fund the work ●● Lead and engage with others to improve
alongside HSE. Typically, several sponsors workplace health and safety
What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Workshops and discussions to develop • the safe handling of waste metal
new ideas for proposed projects on: powders; and
• remote visual inspection
• wearable technologies in the workplace;
Our key projects for delivery 19/20 and beyond
Composites Integrity of engineered composite repairs on pipework Ongoing
Escalator safety Human behaviour and design features Ongoing
SSHEW Assessment of slip-resistant footwear for NHS Ongoing
healthcare workers
Bolted joints Integrity of corroded bolted flanged joints on offshore Ongoing
installations
Flammable mists Generation of flammable mists from high-flashpoint Ongoing
fluids
Thomas Ashton Institute Deliver two industry/government/academia Q4
engagement events to identify collaborations with
new research partners
New shared research Deliver two campaigns to widen the reach of our Q3
shared research work
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Foresight
HSE’s Foresight Centre will continue will use the intelligence from this work to
to support HSE and the broader health inform HSE strategy and future research
and safety system to anticipate new and requirements.
emerging health and safety challenges
Work undertaken in the Foresight Centre
in the workplace that arise from social,
links to the following key action in
economic and technological change.
HSE’s Business Plan:
We will use foresight and futures techniques
●● Provide an effective regulatory
across a range of themes, to identify and
framework
analyse trends and emerging issues, to
consider the opportunities and challenges ●● Lead and engage with others to improve
that these may present and their potential workplace health and safety
to affect workplace health and safety. We
What did we deliver in 2018/19
●● Presented our annual Foresight Report
on the theme of ‘Health’ to the HSE
Board, March 2019
Our key projects for delivery 19/20 and beyond
Reporting Deliver the annual Foresight Report 2019/20 Q4
Engagement Work with others to address issues and Ongoing
opportunities arising from our foresight and
futures activities
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Capability and capacity
We continue to develop and maintain We have a suite of frameworks to support
our scientific capability and capacity to and maintain capability and delivery
optimise the contribution science makes across the entire breadth of science and
to delivering HSE’s mission. Development technology requirements required by the
of our staff is aligned with the Government organisation. The frameworks include:
Science and Engineering (GSE) Profession
●● Foresight and horizon scanning –
Strategy through:
To ensure HSE’s ability to respond
proactively to future hazards and risks,
Achieving Excellence in Science,
this framework will support our futures
Engineering and Evidence
team in delivering futures work and
This Programme of work aims to provide horizon scanning across the organisation
the environment and professional capability
●● Information and data infrastructure
for delivering HSE’s Science, Engineering
management – This framework ensures
and Evidence (SEE), which aligns with
that we effectively manage and maintain
HSE’s response to the government’s
science and evidence information
professions strategies.
and data sources, databases, data
The programme’s themes are: repositories and image libraries to
ensure they are up to date and can be
●● Professional development –
readily and easily accessed by users
To develop confident, competent
scientific professional leadership ●● Science credibility – We are committed
that provides strong, positive direction to ensuring we maintain our reputation
and influence on the workplace and and credibility in the delivery of world-
inspires and empowers the workforce class applied science and evidence. This
to achieve the best framework supports our membership
of national and international scientific
●● Pride in our science – To ensure
expert committees and networks. It
that we provide the governance and
supports work to raise the profile of our
programme environment that enables us
science and evidence with industry and
to produce robust science, engineering
health and safety professionals
and evidence that underpins both HSE’s
regulatory activities and supports the ●● Science publication – This framework
commercial agenda supports the production of peer-
reviewed journal and conference papers
●● Profile – To determine and undertake
as well as national and international
the most effective dissemination and
conference presentations
engagement approaches to ensure
that the data and knowledge generated ●● Science innovation – We will support
from our SEE activities is promoted and our science teams in exploring novel
utilised to best effect ideas and activities which need to be
undertaken in a short time-frame to
maximise potential benefits
20 | 23 HSE Science and Evidence Delivery Plan 2019–2020Health and Safety
Executive
●● Emergent health and safety issues – Work in this area links to the following key
This framework supports science actions in HSE’s Business Plan:
teams in investigating emergent issues,
●● Enable improvement through efficient
including shared research opportunities
and effective delivery
on topics which have arisen unexpectedly
and may have consequences for health
and safety, and potentially require either
regulatory action or further evidence
gathering or research
What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Published over 90 peer-reviewed papers, through our Academic Learning
articles and research reports Programme, a PhD in Chloride Stress
Corrosion Cracking, an MSc in Gas
●● Supported three opportunities for
Engineering and Management, and a
professional capability development
BEng in Mechanical Engineering
21 | 23 HSE Science and Evidence Delivery Plan 2019–2020Health and Safety
Executive
Governance, assurance and engagement
HSE’s Science, Engineering and Evidence while meeting all legal requirements. We
Assurance Committee, a panel of have a Research Ethics Panel for work
independent external experts and a sub- involving human tissue, subjects or data
committee of the HSE Board, provides which is accredited to the University
assurance to the Board on the quality and of Sheffield Medical School Research
relevance of our science and evidence Ethics Panel (REP). For potentially
strategy and delivery. higher-risk research, we obtain ethical
review from either this REP or an NHS REP
HSE’s Research Committee sub-groups,
as appropriate.
which include independent external experts
for each of the science hubs, are providing We will build understanding of HSE’s use of
assurance to HSE’s Research Committee applied science through the dissemination
of their direction and progress. HSE’s of our annual Science Review, containing
Evaluation Committee is independently case studies of impact. We will advance
evaluating the performance and benefits of knowledge of potential emerging risks and
the science hubs. issues for health and safety through our
annual Foresight Report. We will continue
HSE’s formal, scientific Workplace
to extend opportunities for further external
Health Expert Committee provides expert
communications and engagement via digital
opinion to our Chief Scientific Adviser
and social media.
and gives HSE access to independent,
authoritative, impartial and timely expertise We will engage with stakeholders
on workplace health. through involvement in HSE Board and
stakeholder events and attendance at
Publication of our scientific and analytical
conferences. We will also work with
work in peer-reviewed journals and
appropriate government professions and
conference proceedings helps maintain the
international scientific networks such as
credibility of our scientific capability, in its
the Partnership for European Research in
capacity to inform and underpin operational
Occupational Safety and Health (PEROSH)
regulatory and policy-making functions.
and the International Commission on
Demonstration of science quality is provided
Occupational Health (ICOH).
by challenge through the courts for expert
witness evidence. Work in this area links to the following key
actions in HSE’s Business Plan:
HSE’s Ethical Statement for science sets
out our commitment to the highest possible ●● Lead and engage with others to improve
ethical standards of behaviour and conduct workplace health and safety
throughout all facets of the work we do,
22 | 23 HSE Science and Evidence Delivery Plan 2019–2020Health and Safety
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What did we deliver in 2018/19?
●● Presented the annual Science Review at 2018, recognising the contribution of
the HSE Board meeting, March 2019 HSE’s women in science, engineering
and inspectorate roles
●● Held the HSE Science Lecture at the
Wellcome Collection, April 2018 ●● Supported the government’s 2018 Year
of Engineering initiative and featured
●● Hosted the Suffrage Flag to mark 100
HSE’s women engineers on International
years of votes for some women, October
Women in Engineering Day, June 2018
Our priority for 2019/20
●● Share the learning from our expert ●● Develop an approach for monitoring
science and research with those and evaluating the impact of HSE
who can influence health and safety science
improvement
Our key projects for delivery 19/20 and beyond
Engagement and dissemination To coincide with British Science Week, publish Q4
a series of case stories within the Annual
Science Review 2020 which links to HSE’s
2019/20 campaigns
Publish 100 research reports, articles, Q4
peer-reviewed papers, conference seminars
Governance Hold meetings of the HSE Research Committee Ongoing
and related governance groups
23 | 23 HSE Science and Evidence Delivery Plan 2019–2020You can also read
