News on 09 January 2001
2001 will see the biggest change in health and safety enforcement
- possibly since the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and definitely
since the "six-pack" regulations in 1992.
Expected major changes are increases in the penalties for health and safety
offences, including raising the Magistrate's maximum fine to £20,000
for most offences; a requirement for employers to investigate accidents
that are notifiable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 and changes to the asbestos regulations,
placing the responsibility for risk assessment and asbestos management
firmly with the facilities manager.
The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2001 are expected in May this
year and the development of management standards are to help managers
deal with the problems of stress at work. These standards will place the
onus on managers to undertake risk assessments; new guidance on Hand-Arm
Vibration Syndrome has already been published in 2001, and workplace managers
would do well to review their procedures relating to power tools to avoid
what will undoubtedly be a big area for compensation claims this year.
The proposed new charge of Corporate Killing (which may be put back to
2002) would make large employers much more at risk from prosecution.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed, and workplace managers should be
planning ahead for the new legislation and, where possible, budgeting
for the expense of compliance.
http://www.workplacelaw.net/features/2001legislation.asp
