Deregulation Bill’s Health and Safety Clause Remains ‘Unwise’
An amended Government plan to deregulate areas of health and safety remains “unnecessary, unhelpful and unwise”, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has said. Clause 1 of the Government’s Deregulation Bill will amend the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to exempt certain self-employed from general health and safety duties. IOSH and a wide-range […]
How Safe Are Workplaces in the UK?
Figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2014 showed that Britain is one of the safest places to work in the EU, however with 133 deaths and over 78,000 people injured in the last year alone, just how good are the health and safety standards in the UK? Recent statistics show that as well […]
Deregulation of Health and Safety
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has expressed its disappointment after the House of Lords voted in favour of Government plans to deregulate areas of health and safety. Clause 1 of the Government’s Deregulation Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, contains plans to make certain self-employed workers exempt from health […]
Is Health & Safety Fee for Intervention Scheme Effective?
An independent panel, chaired by a Liverpool University professor, has concluded that the Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme – found under regulations 23 to 25 of the Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2012 – has been widely effective and should stay. The FFI, introduced on 1 October 2012, was designed to make businesses that break […]
Health & Safety Deregulation Causing Concern
Government plans to deregulate areas of health and safety, have been criticised by Members of the House of Lords. As explained in our blog from last week – “Certain Self-Employed Persons to Become Exempt from Health & Safety Law?” – under current UK Government plans, all self-employed workers, with the exception of those undertaking ‘prescribed activities’, will become […]
Certain Self-Employed Persons to Become Exempt from Health & Safety Law?
Under current Health and Safety Executive (HSE) proposals, self-employed people in the United Kindgom (UK), whose work activities pose no potential risk of harm to others, are to become exempt from Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA). Self-employed persons undertaking activities on a prescribed list however, will continue […]
Health and Safety Professionals Oppose Government Plans
One of the UK’s main health and safety bodies has reiterated its opposition to Government plans to deregulate areas of health and safety. The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is opposed to a clause in the Government’s Deregulation Bill that exempts certain self-employed workers from health and safety law. The clause suggests that workers […]
Investing in Workplace Health and Safety
A recent report from the British Safety Council has highlighted why investing in health and safety makes sound business sense. According to the report, the true cost of failures in occupational health and safety to the UK economy amounted to £13.8 billion in 2011/2012, with work related illnesses costing around £8.4 billion. “At a time when the […]
Safety experts voice concerns
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has said it is “disappointed” and “concerned” over plans to deregulate areas of health and safety. The Joint Committee providing pre-legislative scrutiny of the Draft Deregulation Bill issued its report towards the end of last year, and IOSH has repeated its concerns that some self-employed people could […]
EU health and safety consultation welcomed
Adequate levels of health and safety regulation and enforcement need to be introduced across the EU, with help for small and medium-sized enterprises to comply, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has said. In its submission to a consultation on the EU OSH Policy Framework, Europe’s largest professional body in health and safety […]