Podger on competence and targets

I'm at the IOSH conference in Liverpool. Geoffrey Podger just finished a stage interview with Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy and took some pointed questions from the floor on evaluating competence of safety practitioners.

Podger's argument was that if "third sector" organisations such as IOSH and CIEH and IIRSM want to define competence further, they are free to, but the HSE's view is that the definition in the Management Regulations, however loosely drawn, is good enough.

One questioner (in social services) supported him but the general thrust was that HSE could do more.
A delegate from the CIEH told him: "You are going to have to change your attitude and work harder with us to get a definition of competence to get the results you want."
(The results being the improved accident figures the new strategy sets an aim, albeit vaguely.)

On which point, Podger also said earlier in the session that the new strategy would still be tied to the targets set in the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy in 1989. This is confusing as they were 10 year targets (for cuts in accidents self reported work-related illness and working days lost to both) and though they probably won't all be met by 2010 it seems strange to start a new strategy with the old goals. But that's what he said.