Time to step up?

Government plans to remove a vast swathe of self employed people from the protection of health and safety legislation has generated widespread criticism and concern. And, according to Neal Stone, acting chief executive at the British Safety Council, the evidence in support of this fundamental reform does not stand up to close scrutiny.

"HSE proposals for reform of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 produced a record number of responses to the public consultation,” Neal told me. "While British Safety Council members broadly supported the thrust of the changes, including repealing the competence requirements and ending the CDM coordinator role, we did express concern about the proposal to axe the ACOP. We keenly await having sight of the seven sets of guidance that will support the CDM 2015 Regulations.”

So what should the industry be aware of in 2015? We are nearing the end of what has been a lengthy and resource intensive period of legislative review and reform. Employers, and those involved in managing workplace risks, have had to absorb a mountain of changes concerning health and safety regulation.

Stone believes that people at the sharp end need time to review the adequacy of their policies, systems and practices to ensure continuing compliance. "Good quality and proportionate guidance from HSE is key,” he observed.

"What the commercialisation of HSE will mean in practice is still to be determined. It is essential, going forward, that HSE continues to be an effective regulatory, with a continuing policy capability and the source of technical and scientific expertise.”

Last year also saw the 40th anniversary of the landmark 1974 Health & Safety at Work Act. And there is widespread agreement that vast strides have been made over the last 40 years in reducing the toll of workplace injury and work-related ill health occurrences.
 
The 1974 Act has played a significant role in helping improve the management and regulation of workplace health and safety. However, the latest HSE statistics, 2013/14, highlight that much remains to be done to make that further step change - particularly concerning ill health occurrences. Stone warns that the improvements going forward will need a concerted effort by a wide range of stakeholders: "We cannot and must not be solely reliant on HSE. We all have to step up.”

According to BSIF chief executive, Alan Murray, the statistics since the launch of the 1974 Act speak for themselves: "Enacted in 1974 when fatalities while at work were close to 700 per annum,” he noted, "the latest figures from the HSE show that this number has fallen by 80%. This statistic reinforces the UK’s world leading record in safety and health and the country should be proud of this.”

With 2015 underway, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and successful new year.