Health and Safety Law Review

07-Dec-2011

On 28^th November the Government released the report it commissioned to review health and safety law (the Löfstedt Report).  The report identified 6 key recommendations for assisting the Government’s objective of simplifying complex health and safey law:

1. exempting from health and safety laws the self-employed whose work activities pose no potential risk of harm to others;
2. a thorough review of all 53 Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs);
3. the HSE to undertake sector specific consultations with a view to consolidating/revoking health and safety regulations;
4. legislative changes to give the HSE authority to direct all local authority health and safety inspection and enforcement activity to ensure greater consistency and applicability;
5. review and clarify the pre-action disclosure procedures for personal injury claims and take steps to readdress the unfairness of the current system;
6. work more closely with the EU Commission to ensure that both new and existing EU health and safety legislation is risk-based and evidence-based.

 

The Government has indicated it intends to implement the above recommendations over the next few years, and they will clearly have an effect on all businesses.

 

In particular, the construction industry in particular should note:

 

• the review of theACoP for the  CDM Regulations;
• the review of the Work at Height Regulations 2005;
• the recommended consolidation/revocation of the regulations relating to tower cranes.

For more infomation about the changes in health and safety legislation or any issue relating to construction law contact Simon Franklin

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