Archive for July, 2011
25/07/2011
Consultation on cost recovery scheme for safety interventions
The Health and Safety Executive has opened a three-month consultation on how cost recovery for intervention will operate, having already agreed the underlying principle with Government. The new scheme could apply from as early as April 2012. The HSE’s programme director, said: “The Government has agreed that it is right that those who break the [...]
23/07/2011
CSCS plans major review to improve service delivery
CSCS is assessing how the scheme is delivered to the construction industry so it can improve service levels. Currently CITB ConstructionSkills provides the helpdesk and application processing service under contract to CSCS and the five year notice period to terminate the contract has been served. CSCS chief executive Brian Adams comments: “We need to ensure [...]
18/07/2011
Risk assessor & hotel boss jailed for fire safety offences
An external fire risk assessor and a hotel operator have both been jailed for eight months after admitting multiple breaches of the Fire Safety Order. On 8th July the boss of a hotel in Mansfield, and an external fire risk assessor —contracted to carry out fire risk assessments at both premises — appeared for sentencing [...]
15/07/2011
HSE to charge for their time under fee-for-fault legislation
The HSE expects to charge organisations £133 an hour for inspectors’ work identifying and helping remedy minor breaches. HSE programme director Gordon Macdonald said the provisional hourly rate for so-called fee-for-fault charging will be introduced in April 2012, following a consultation exercise due to start later this month. MacDonald admitted that cost recovery was controversial, but [...]
11/07/2011
Why does director involvement matter?
A board-level commitment to health and safety is fundamental in successful safety management. Under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, companies can be charged with corporate manslaughter as a result of gross breaches of duty of care (see my previous blog for details…). Regardless of your size or type of organisation, it’s crucial [...]
07/07/2011
Asbesto Awareness Training, 16th July – places available
FACT – It is a legal requirement to provide construction / construction workers with asbestos awareness training* ANNUALLY CHAS Assessors are also increasingly looking for full compliance as part of the application process These construction trades include: Maintenance Staff Electricians Plumbers Gas Fitters Painters & Decorators Joiners Plasters Demolition Workers Construction Workers Roofers Heating & [...]
06/07/2011
Restore sanity to the health and safety rulebook
People who have fallen foul of barmy bureaucratic decisions for ‘health and safety reasons’ are being urged get involved in a root and branch review of regulations. Employment Minister Chris Grayling, launching the Red Tape Challenge on health and safety regulations, said the Government would act on public views about which laws needed to be [...]
05/07/2011
New Corporate Manslaughter charge
A company that manufactures storage products will appear in court next month to answer corporate manslaughter and health and safety charges after a worker died from injuries sustained in a fall. The company has been summoned to appear before magistrates in August; as well as being charged with corporate manslaughter, the company is also charged [...]
02/07/2011
Workplace deaths increase in Coalition government’s first year
The number of people killed at work in Britain last year rose by 16%, prompting renewed calls on the Government to rethink its strategy to reduce health and safety activity and resources. Provisional figures released by the HSE) revealed that 171 workers died in 2010/11 – up from the record low of 147 deaths in [...]
