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Return to ‘common sense’ health and safety regulations

Small firms are breathing a sigh of relief as the Government has announced it will scrap unnecessary health and safety legislation that is costing time and money.

Employment Minister Chris Grayling announced the changes yesterday, the first of which will take place within the next few months, and could help to low the £16.8 billion spent on compliance.

The decision follows the publication of the Lofstedt Review, commissioned by Mr Grayling in March to look into health and safety.

It recommends against health and safety laws for around a million self-employed people, whose work activity poses no potential risk to others.

The Forum for Private Business has welcomed the move, and senior policy adviser, Alex Jackman said the results of the the Lofstedt review did not disappoint.

He said: “There are recommendations that will see a tangible difference to the shop floor, but also a wider acknowledgement for the needs of health and safety to be a shared burden with staff as well as employers.

“The Forum of Private Business has long been calling for such a shared responsibility and welcomes this first step in a national debate.

“Civil action against businesses is a huge issue for our members, and many over compensate where health and safety is concerned.

“Not only does this unduly raise the cost of compliance, disproportionately so for the smallest businesses, but it also raises expectations of employees should personal injury unfortunately befall them.”

He went on to say that the report identifies the need to engage with Europe on health and safety issues.

In previous research, the FPB found that small firms were increasingly spending extra time and money on complying with employment legislation.

Mr Jackman added: “Complying with health and safety regulations has become a serious burden and a major barrier to growth.

“That this Government is finally taking action to streamline and improve the system is brilliant news for SMEs who have for too long been drowning under a sea of needless rules and regulations that were ineffectual and over bureaucratic.

“Common sense should be at the heart of all health and safety legislation and today appears to herald the beginning of the end for pointless red tape. This should save employers money and make for a fairer, fit-for-purpose system with an emphasis on personal responsibility.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .