Partner Article

New Health and Safety Executive enforcement code published

Duotech Risk Management News

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a new Code which is designed to ensure that local authority health and safety regulators take a more consistent and proportionate approach to enforcement. It means that unnecessary health and safety inspections will be prevented.

As a result of the new Code, council inspections will focus on higher risk activities in specified sectors or where there is intelligence that workplaces are not managing risk. As a result, thousands of businesses, such as shops and offices, will no longer face unnecessary health and safety inspections which are not justified on a risk basis.

However, checks will continue on poor performers and at sites where there are higher risk activities, such as cooling towers where legionella can develop.

HSE chair Judith Hackitt said, “Real improvement in safety performance will come from targeting those who put their employees at greatest risk. Local inspectors have a very important role to play in ensuring the effective and proportionate management of risks by businesses, and the Code is designed to guide them to do this.”

She added, “It sets out how targeting should be achieved, providing certainty for both businesses and regulators. HSE will be working with local authorities to ensure the Code is successfully implemented.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Duotech Risk Management .