HQN SAFETYnet

Briefing: Health and safety legislative review – update

SAFETYnet briefing by Vicki Cutler

Costs-recovery scheme proposals get the ‘go ahead’ from the HSE Board

HSE construction division plan of work 2011/12

A summary of the HSE construction division’s plan of work for 2011/12 has been published. It sets out what the construction industry can expect when HSE inspectors visit sites.

The HSE confirm that over the next 12 months, their construction division will be devoting more of its time and effort to regulating smaller sites and businesses with their main operational activities targeting the following sectors: Small sites/projects, refurbishment, major clients/projects and asbestos (licensing and licensed work).

Five issues will be considered at all site visits. These are: work at height, respiratory risks, asbestos risks, provision of welfare facilities and good order.

The HSE have a dedicated section of the website which looks at these topics in more detail and which will help you to meet your health and safety obligations.

Given that a number of these sectors and related issues have an impact on the housing sector, we wanted to make sure that members were aware of the HSEs campaign over the coming year.

HSE consultation – proposal for extending costs recovery

The HSE have announced a consultation in respect of the recovery of costs for material breaches of regulations.

This consultation sets out the HSE proposal to replace the Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2010 to reinstate existing fees and to extend the range of activities for which HSE recovers costs. In addition to reinstating existing fees the proposed fees regulations would place a duty on HSE to recover costs where duty holders are found to be in material breach of health and safety law.

The underlying policy of recovering costs for HSEs interventions through the introduction of fees where there is a material breach of the law has been agreed by government and is therefore not in question in this consultation. Instead this consultation document is intended to elicit views on how HSE would recover the costs of the work it undertakes.

The consultation closes on 14 October 2011 and details can be found at the link above.

Please note that any comments that you wish to make in response to the consultation should be made on the official form which can also be found at this link.

Employer's liability policy 'trigger' litigation cases decided

SAFETYnet briefing note