The Minister for Employment chaired a meeting of the Health and Safety Advisory Council yesterday afternoon. Working in tandem with the Health and Safety Inspectorate, the Council was created in 2016 to monitor best practices in the workplace.

The council is formed by representatives from different sectors including the Minister for Employment, the Chief Secretary, the Director of Employment, the Senior Health and Safety Inspector, the Deputy Director of Employment, and representatives of Unite the Union, the Gibraltar General and Clerical Association, Gibraltar’s Teacher’s Association, the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce, the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses, and the Public Sector Health and Safety Committee.

The meeting focused on the shared responsibility between employers and employees; Employers being primarily accountable for creating a safe working environment with employees also playing a vital role, having responsibility for their own safety and that of their coworkers. The discussion also included proposed legislative updates which will require stakeholder engagement.

The aim of the Council is to ensure all relevant parties, including businesses, organisations and the public, are well informed of Health and Safety laws and their implications. The overall objective is that any changes implemented improve compliance and enhance the effectiveness of the legislation.

The Minister for Employment, the Hon. Christian Santos GMD MP, said: “Health and Safety is a concern for everyone, and the function of the Advisory Council is to establish legislation, working practices and standards for all to adhere to. This is of utmost importance to our Government, which in 2022 signed a Health and Safety Policy specifically designed for Gibraltar. The wide range of participants in the Council provide a wealth of experience and expertise, allowing for meaningful and effective dialogue to create appropriate guidelines and legislation to safeguard the workforce.”