Forty years ago, on 1 January 1975, HSE was formally established, some six months after the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Last year we and many of our stakeholders noted the 40th anniversary of the Act itself. Many commented on the extraordinary resilience and adaptability of the legislation which has enabled those sound principles to be applied to a constantly changing work environment and has delivered one of the best workplace health and safety regimes in the world.
But I also believe it's important to mark the 40th anniversary of the formation of HSE as an organisation - because organisations are about people. It is the dedication and hard work of HSE's staff over the last 40 years, working with British businesses, workers, government and stakeholders which has made Britain a safer and healthier place to work. It's an organisation I am immensely proud to be part of, because of dedication and professionalism of its people.
There have been many changes within the organisation over that time but I am impressed by just how many of our staff have been part of the organisation from the outset.
During this 40th year for HSE, we will be taking the opportunity to reflect on our past achievements, celebrate our successes and making people more aware of the full range of activities which go to make our organisation so effective - and that means telling stories about our people and what they do. I'll be sure to regularly upload my Huffington Post blog with any stories or items I think you'll be interested in.
HSE has helped Britain become one of the safest places to work in the world and as a result, its skills and insight are in demand internationally. Our knowledge of how to effectively regulate construction and major hazards are of particular interest to others globally.
As we take stock of how far we've come, it is a very fitting time to thank all of HSE's staff (past and present) for the part they've played. HSE is a different organisation today to the one that was established 40 years ago, but its core purpose and values remain the same -striving ever harder to ensure people go to work and go back home safely so they too can enjoy Christmases with their loved ones and look forward to many future New Years.