IOSH continues to lead in health and safety debate

17 January 2012

IOSH continued to lead the debate today (17 January 2011) on the changing nature of health and safety regulation in the UK.

The seminar, in Westminster, took place as the Government takes forward the extensive proposals set out in Lord Young’s review Common Sense, Common Safety.

Andrew Baldwin, IOSH public affairs adviser, said: “Today’s event provided IOSH with another great opportunity to influence the work the Government is carrying out to ‘reshape’ health and safety.

“Following the launch of IOSH’s official response to Löfstedt review yesterday, today it has been made clear that there are some points surrounding implementation that still need to be addressed.”

IOSH Council member Kevin Bridges was among the speakers at the event. Kevin told the 100-strong audience that IOSH supports streamlining of regulations “but no erosion of standards”, and that we believe that it isn’t health and safety law that is the problem, “just the misunderstanding of it”.

Professor Ragnar Löfstedt who led the Government-commissioned review of UK health and safety regulations, opened the seminar, in his address he reinforced the fact he found “no evidence” for changing health and safety regulations. He also mentioned that the word “burden” was part of the remit when conducting his review, but that he would not class health and safety as a “burden”.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) chair Judith Hackitt followed Professor Löfstedt on the podium and reinforced Löfstedt’s view. She also discussed a new HSE panel which is due to be formed to discuss bogus health and safety stories, and to help dispel the myths. The central theme which emerged from Ms Hackitt was that “anyone injured through no fault of their own (in the workplace) has every right to claim compensation”.

Katy Clark MP, member of the all-party parliamentary group on occupational safety and health, and Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Wirral, chair of the all-party parliamentary group for legal and constitutional affairs, chaired the seminar.

In his closing summary Lord Hunt, said we need to work on two things:  “Let’s minimise risk, and make people more aware of it.”

Other speakers at the event included: Mary Boughton, chair, Health and Safety and Risk Management Committee, Federation of Small Businesses; Andrew Dismore, campaign co-ordinator, Access to Justice Action Group (AJAG); Paul Hopkin, technical director, Airmic; and Andy Lucas, operations manager (health and safety), Birmingham City Council.