Fall out over health and safety review

The TUC fears that cutting unannounced workplace safety inspections to target the potentially most hazardous sites could mean some workplaces going "decades without ever seeing an inspector". But commenting on the Review of Health & Safety legislation announced by Chris Grayling MP (pictured), the manufacturing boss's organisation EEF said the move was welcome. EEF's head of health & safety, Steve Pointer said that while much health and safety legislation was fit for purpose, some areas remained a problem and the review has the potential to resolve anomalies, reduce burdens and so help boost growth. And he hit out at recent EU directives and proposals "that complicates the picture, imposes burdens on businesses, but does nothing to protect employees". The review is likely to lead to safety inspections being limited to higher risk locations such as nuclear and chemical plants. The review will be headed by King's College's Professor Ragnar Lofstedt who will publish his findings in the autumn. Chris Grayling told a conference in London today: "The purpose of health and safety regulation is to protect people at work and rightly so, but we need common sense at the heart of the system, and these measures will help root out the needless burden of bureaucracy." Setting out the next stage of the government's proposals for health and safety reform, the Work and Pensions Minister outlined a series of further reforms which he said herald, "a new start for health and safety regulation for Britain's businesses." The main proposals announced by the government are to: • modernise the health and safety inspection regime with inspectors concentrating on high risk locations and irresponsible employers • take steps to eliminate 'cowboy' health and safety consultants through the operation of the occupational health and safety consultants register which has already received over 1,500 registrations • make health and safety advice and guidance for small and low risk businesses simple, accessible and bureaucracy-free • review existing health and safety law with a view to scrapping measures that are an unnecessary burden on business. Commenting on the proposals Lynda Armstrong, Chair of the Trustees of the British Safety Council, said, "I welcome the continuing momentum initiated by Lord Young to put common sense back into health and safety. We have always encouraged a professional, proportionate and knowledgeable approach to managing safety in the workplace. These recommendations support our aims and we look forward to consulting our members on the proposals. Their views will help inform our submission to government."