A decade of fighting to end deaths at work

Ms Donovan, who will finish a 10-year stint as a director of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) at the end of this month, has launched a wide range of initiatives to make staff aware of the dangers lurking in their factories, farms and offices.

She told the Yorkshire Post that she was particularly proud of

her work in establishing the Small Business Trade Association Forum, which helps companies obtain help and advice from the HSE.

Ms Donovan said: "I've been so privileged to be the forum's chair. It's made a real difference, given small firms a voice and provided me with something tangible to come out of my time as a commissioner and board member. The forum is now part of the HSE family."

The establishment of the forum means that trade associations can suggest topics for meetings and discussions.

It also enables the HSE to find out what small firms think about EU legislation.

Recent topics discussed at forum meetings have included workplace temperatures and the use of respiratory equipment.

Ms Donovan, who helped to bring the Bollywood awards to Yorkshire during her stint as chairman of the Yorkshire Tourist Board, is the longest serving non-executive HSE director.

The provisional figure for the number of UK workplace deaths in the last financial year is 151, which is 31 per cent lower than the average for the previous five years.

The workplace death rate in the UK – which stands at a fatal injury of 0.5 per 100,000 workers – is one of the lowest in Europe.

However, Ms Donovan said it was still a tragedy that so many people went to work and never came home again.

She is particularly concerned about the growing number of deaths in the farming sector.

Although agriculture accounts for less than 1.5 per cent of

the UK workforce, about 20 per cent of workplace deaths occur on farms.

Between 1998 and 2008, there were 461 deaths in the agricultural industry, which includes forestry.

Over this period, 23 children died as a result of accidents in the farming and forestry sectors.

Transport accidents accounted for about a quarter of all farming deaths.

In response, Ms Donovan launched the HSE's Make the Promise – Come Home Safe campaign, which includes advertisements, mail-packs and a website to encourage farmers to spend more time thinking about health and safety.

Ms Donovan said: "Agriculture is simply the most dangerous way to make a living.

"A fatal or serious accident can destroy families. It can also ruin the farm business."

She said the Make the Promise campaign had got the farming community talking about dangers on the farm, such as vehicles overturning and machinery malfunctioning.

"It's given women and children a chance to talk to their men about safety issues.

"It's empowered them to put more pressure on,'' she said.

There had also been a rise in the number of agricultural workers attending courses to make them aware about safety issues.

She remained concerned about the number of children killed on farms.

The Green Cross Code might not prepare children for the prospect of a tractor reversing at them, she warned.

Ms Donovan received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Health & Safety from the IOSH, the chartered body for health and safety professionals, last year.

JUDITH DONOVAN

Hull University graduate Judith Donovan founded her own specialist advertising agency in 1982, ran it successfully for 20 years and then sold it to her staff. Since then, she has embarked on a full-time career in public service, specialising in small firms, rural affairs and regeneration.

During her 10 years with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) she developed the Small Business Trade Association Forum, which represents more than one million small firms.

In 1999, she became the first female president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce.

She was chairman of the Yorkshire Tourist Board from 2005 to 2008.

She holds a number of high-profile roles in Yorkshire. She is chairman of the project board for York Minster Revealed and is also chairman of the Greater Ripon Improvement Partnership.