HSE's Disease Reduction Programme

The Disease Reduction Programme (DRP) is part of HSE's strategic programme that aims to deliver a reduction in the incidence of work-related ill-health from chemicals by the end of 2007/8.

The DRP is focusing on three priority areas: cancer, respiratory disease and skin disease.  In each of these areas the DRP will deliver a variety of interventions - including inspections, publicity campaigns, stakeholder engagement interventions and supply-chain inititatives.  Where we have relevant information, links to additional pages have been added.

The aim of the interventions is to raise awareness that will lead to a change in behaviour in target industries, thereby reducing exposure to causative agents and ultimately reducing the incidence of ill-health.  Target industries will be chosen based on the best available evidence regarding the scale of the problem and degree to which it is likely that behaviour can be changed.

A  BOHS meeting, 'To measure or not to measure?',  looked at the occupational aspects of the DRP. A report of this meeting written by David O'Malley, was published in Occupational Health Review (Issue 125, January/February 2007, copyright Reed Business Information Ltd 2007) and can be downloaded here.

For more information on the DRP and planned initiatives, email drp@hse.gsi.gov.uk.