ABTA launches new industry health and safety guides
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has released a health and safety guide for the travel industry, and it is planning to release another next month (March 2013).
The aim of the guides is to address the challenges and issues the travel industry is currently facing in relation to health and safety and hopefully improve health and safety training, practices and policy.
According to an ABTA survey, around 89 per cent of the Association’s members believe that when it comes to holidays, health and safety are very important. Using this study and years of consultation and industry research, the organisation has produced its new guides. The first, a mini-guide available for free from the ABTA website, highlights five key concepts of importance to its members:
- A health and safety statement
- A health and safety policy department
- A clear schedule of review
- Robust document and record-keeping
- Clear lines of responsibility for the management
The second guide, to be released soon and called ‘Demystifying Destination Health and Safety Management’, will focus on health and safety in accommodation.
Nikki White, the Head of Destinations and Sustainability for ABTA, said that the guides aim to:
“help demystify health and safety procedures as well as giving practical advice and support for retailers and principals”.