26th November 2009
The HSE have issued their new strategy for improving Health & Safety and are asking interested parties to
"Sign up to the Pledge" A statement from HSE chair Judith Hackitt CBE is included below . We at Anchor
Health & Safety are only too pleased to sign up and support this initiative.
"The new HSE strategy has been finalised following a three-month
consultation programme, with events held across the country.
During the
consultation, we spoke to many interested parties and individuals,including: business leaders; industry representatives; trades
unions; parliamentarians; employees; and others in the health and safety system. We wanted to hear ideas on how we could all
become ‘part of the solution’.
The overall
feedback we received was very supportive. We listened to suggestions made during the consultation and made sensible and useful
changes to our original draft, to produce the version launched today.
We believe this strategy represents a clear statement of core principles and a sensible approach to health and safety
in Great Britain.
Whilst the economic climate is difficult and the temptation
for some may be to cut corners, HSE, its partners and businesses must resolve to continue to strive to improve health and
safety performance.
Good health and safety is good business."
Judith Hackitt CBE \\ HSE Chair
6th
April 2009
Health & Safety Law Poster
As from 6 April 2009, HSE is publishing
new versions of its approved health and safety poster and leaflet. To avoid an unnecessary burden on business,
HSE has set a five year transition period. The current poster and leaflets must be replaced by the new versions by no later
than 5 April 2014.
16th January 2009
Health
and Safety (Offences) Act 2008
The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 comes into force today (16 January), prompting a
raft of warnings to employers who may be tempted to cut corners in the credit crunch that it may end up costing them their
business, and even their freedom.
The new Act raises the maximum fine that can be imposed
by the magistrates’ courts for breaches of health and safety legislation from £5000 to £20,000 and makes
imprisonment an option for more offences. Chief executive of the Health
and Safety Executive, Geoffrey Podger, pointed out that, although the Act does not impose any new duties on employers or businesses,
it will act as “a real deterrent” to those who do not take their health and safety responsibilities seriously.
He added: “Our message to the many employers who do manage health and safety well is that they have nothing to fear
from this change in law. We will retain the important safeguards that ensure that our inspectors use their powers sensibly
and proportionately. We will continue to target those who cut corners, put lives at risk, and who gain commercial advantage
over competitors by failing to comply with the law.” | |
1st October 2008
The 2nd
Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP) to the Dangerous Preparations Directive (DPD).
The 2nd ATP adjusts the ‘rules’ for classifying and labelling preparations (mixtures) of chemicals based
on the classification of the constituent substances and their concentrations in the preparation. It was due to enter into
legal effect in EU Member States on 1 March 2007. For technical reasons they were unable to meet this deadline.
HSE have recently completed a public consultation on proposals to implement the Directive through amendments to the Chemicals
(Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002.
6th April 2008
The Corporate Manslaughter and
Corporate Homicide Act 2007
New legislation came into effect today,
which means that owners / directors of companies or organisations, can now be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a
result of the failure of any management system that results in a fatality.
This
means that owner / directors are directly responsible for the actions of their employees, which makes it even more
important that adequate systems are put into place to secure the health & safety of staff and visitors.
6th April 2006
Regulatory
Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire
Safety) Order 2005: It is now the legal responsibility of employers and owners of commercial property, to carry out a fire
risk assessment of their premises and to put into action a plan to protect employees, staff and any others from the risk of
fire, whilst on those premises.
They must appoint a "Responsible Person"
to carry out this assessment to demonstrate that the fire safety precautions are adequate, that the principles of prevention
are identified, risks where possible are eliminated or reduced, that emergency procedures are in place, that a system of warning
in the event of fire is present and that measures to mitigate the effect of fire are in place.
Link to HSE News
