The Stockline blast added to concerns about workers' safety

Set up by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), it followed calls for better co-ordination of expertise across the health and safety system.

The partnership has brought together businesses, trades unions, government and the Health and Safety Executive.

The work of the partnership will be steered by a committee which will meet at least three times a year.

Health and safety commissioner Margaret Burns, who will chair the committee, said: "Great Britain and Scotland has one of the best records in Europe on workplace health and safety.

This new partnership means we will see more co-ordination of effort Margaret Burns Health and Safety Commissioner

"But there are still too many people being hurt or made ill at work," she said.

"This new partnership shows the commitment of a wide range of organisations to work together to make a real impact on health and safety in Scottish workplaces.

"It means that we will see more co-ordination of effort, less duplication and more sharing of knowledge of what works and what doesn't."

The Health and Safety Executive said in July that there were 33 fatal injuries to employees in 2004/05, compared with nine the previous year. It was the highest level in the last nine years.

Nine deaths were in the explosion at the Stockline Plastics factory in Glasgow. There were a further five deaths in manufacturing.