The Workers' Safety Adviser (WSA) Challenge Fund was launched on 26 March 2004. This vital fund is supporting partnerships to get more workers involved in occupational health and safety. It is managed by Project North East (PNE).
The fund, operated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), has entered its’ third and final year, running between April 2006 and March 2007. The maximum grant available during the third round was £100,000 per application, from total funding of £1million.
The aim of the fund is to inspire organizations to collaborate on projects that encourage and promote employees and their employers to work together to drive improvements in managing health and safety. The scheme focuses on small businesses and organizations that lack such arrangements.
Applicants need to demonstrate a commitment to improve worker involvement in health and safety, support the work of a WSA to promote worker involvement and demonstrate the vitality of the partnerships they have established to achieve this aim.
In 2006/07, 13 award winners received funding employing a total of 23 WSAs, who are engaging with small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors such as construction, hospitality, recycling and retail. Project partners include trade unions, trade associations, local authorities, primary care trusts, voluntary organisations and business organisations. Full details of award winners can be found here.