Call for financial incentives to recognise safe workplaces

Health, safety and training should be considered in all future price reviews and in setting contracts for difference, conference agreed.

The motion to the energy supply industry conference pointed out that since the privatisation of the industry, Ofgem had not considered the costs of safety when setting the income and incentives for distribution network operators.

The regulator had also discontinued training allowances which ran from April 2010 to March 2015.

Mover Neil Freeman (sector executive) said that health and safety was an emotive subject. Ofgem guidance did specify that “DNOs must operate safe networks”.

The electricity safety quality and continuity regulations of 2002 also required the DNOs to ensure their equipment was safe and protected. And DNOs were subject to general health and safety legislation enforced by the Health and Safety Executive.

But there was no financial incentive to achieve this. “I don’t think that’s quite good enough,” he said.

“The motion is looking for an identifiable allowance given to safety and training. Everyone deserves to go home from work at the end of the day in the same state that they arrived in. Safety shouldn’t happen by accident,” he concluded.

Allan Wales (ScottishPower) pointed out that some investment decisions being made were concerned with extending the life of old gear and getting more service out of it. This made the focus on safety particularly important.

“Safety also comes out of general investment decisions. That’s why we need to press Ofgem and politicians on this,” he said.

Delegates carried the motion which called on the sector executive committee to lobby the regulator Ofgem and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on this.

Photographer: Stefano Cagnoni