The Health and Safety Commission and the HSE have published their simplification plan as part of their commitment to “Better, smarter regulation”. It is available at www.hse.gov.uk/simplification/index.htm
The plan outlines initiatives to reduce the paperwork cost to business of complying with health and safety law, talking about “sensible risk” and the need for businesses to focus on “real health and safety risks” rather than generating unnecessary paper mountains. But is this likely to lead to yet another reduction in the HSE’s capability of enforcing the law?
Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill
This received a second reading in the House of Commons recently. Since then the Bill has been examined by a standing committee. The MPs voted in favour of a carry over motion so that the Bill could be reintroduced in the 2007 parliament. Watch this space.
On the web :
Health & Safety Myths: the TUC has busted the most common health and safety myths including schools banning conkers, safety inspectors banning ladders, acrobats being forced to wear helmets and councils banning St George's flags. See www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-12559-f0.cfm