About Us - Working in Partnership


Being a world class health and safety laboratory is at the heart of HSL's vision. To enhance and promote HSL's reputation and capabilities we are continually strengthening our links with scientific and technical organisations both nationally and internationally. We currently have formal collaborative agreements with 20 scientific organisations in the UK and overseas and extensive informal networks throughout the world. HSL is designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research.

Some examples of HSL's collaborating arrangements are described below:

  World Health Organisation (WHO)
  InterLab Forum
  Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health (PEROSH)
  Healthy Work Matters Group (formerly known as the Sheffield Occupational Health Development Group -SOHDG)

World Health Organisation (WHO)

HSL is designated as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research. One area of HSL's work has been afforded collaborating status for a number of years, and in 2003 this was extended to incorporate all of HSL's activities.

This allows HSL to:

• Provide advisory services to WHO.
• Assist WHO in the development of educational material.
• Undertake research of interest to WHO.
• Assist the WHO European Office on issues relating to workers' health.
• Participate in the network of WHO Collaborating Centres.

In particular this status greatly increases our networking capability and should provide reassurance on the quality of HSL scientific advice.

  Further information may be found on the World Health Organisation website at www.who.int/en

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InterLab Forum

HSL, along with five other Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs), signed a Co-operation Agreement on the 12th July 2005 that will see the laboratories working closer together to increase their effectiveness.

Acting in the best interest of the public, the agreement promotes knowledge sharing on topics of strategic and operational importance, for instance emergency response and disease control. The members of this PSRE partnership, which is known as the Interlab Forum, are:

• The Central Science Laboratory (CSL)
• Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas)
• The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (MoD)
• The Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL)
• The Health Protection Agency (HPA)
• Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA)

In August 2007, a new website, www.interlabforum.org, was launched to provide information about the activities of and collaboration between the six government scientific organisations.

The Forum has worked on a number of high-profile projects of national interest, including:

• The death of Alexander Litvinenko: Following his death of suspected radionuclide polonium-210 poisoning, contamination was found in a number of venues.  VLA and Cefas supported lead agency HPA in the analysis of hundreds of samples to check for radiation levels. 
• Avian Influenza: The VLA, HPA and CSL worked tirelessly to advise on the health risks and preventative measures.
• Dangerous pathogens and agents: Dstl and HPA have been working together to share their high-containment facilities to undertake vital research to deliver emergency response services in support of health protection.

The new website describes the Forum’s aims and activities. It also displays the group’s latest news alongside exciting science and technological developments from within government.

The Forum brings together the expertise of over 9,000 scientists, technologists and engineers in Great Britain. Their combined, complementary skills and resources are then used to enhance the government's overall effectiveness when acting on critical events.

  Further information may be found on the Interlab Forum website at www.interlabforum.org/

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Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health (PEROSH)

HSL is a founder member of the newly formed Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health (PEROSH) which is a network of twelve occupational safety and health research institutes from across Europe. The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration by sharing research results and pooling expertise, to promote knowledge transfer between institutes and beyond, and to strengthen the social dialogue in occupational health matters in Europe. PEROSH will operate via ‘scientific pillars’. The initial three pillars are: work organisation, risk perception and management, and emerging issues.

  Further information may be found on the PEROSH website at www.perosh.org

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Healthy Work Matters Group (formerly known as the Sheffield Occupational Health Development Group -SOHDG)

The Healthy Work Matters Group (formerly known as the Sheffield Occupational Health Development Group - SOHDG) is a partnership between the Sheffield Health Authority, local industries, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), Primary Care Groups (GPs), Universities, the NHS and Trade Unions.

The aim of the group is to raise awareness about the effects of work on health, and the effects of health on fitness to work for:

• employees
• employers
• safety representatives
• health professionals

through network meetings, newsletters and the Healthy Work Matters website. This website aims to provide support, help and advice to employers, employees and employee representatives from small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

  Further information may be found at www.healthyworkmatters.org.uk

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