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HSE Consultation on the proposals to remove premises notification requirements and the OSR1 form

The consultative document has been published on the HSE Website

The document includes proposals of particular interest to local authorities and their officials responsible for health and safety and for maintaining registers or databases of premises.

The consultative document proposes abolishing the requirement for employers in offices and shops to notify their premises to local authorities. It also proposes to remove a similar requirement on factory employers to notify HSE.

HSE considers the notification requirements of only limited value to assessing risk.  For some time now, business information has been obtained using a range of more reliable and efficient information sources and strategies.

The consultative document notes that local authorities and HSE receive few premises notifications.  Generally, employers seem unaware of the requirements and they are rarely enforced.

Members of LACORS' Health and Safety Policy Forum discussed HSE's proposal at their February 2008 meeting and agreed that the OSR1 form should be abolished.

Local authorities have until 14 November 2008 to comment on the proposals.

For further information, please contact:

Peter McKerrow, Legislative Framework Team
Tel: 0207 717 6977
Email: peter.mckerrow@hse.gsi.gov.uk

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Local Authority / HSE Partnership Conference 2008 -Delivering Priorities Together

Hilton Hotel, Manchester Deansgate, 5 November 2008

Bookings Now Being Taken

Bookings are now being taken for this year’s national Local Authority / HSE Partnership Conference will take place at the Hilton Hotel , Manchester Deansgate, on 5 November 2008.

This event is aimed at all those involved in strategic development and partnership working in LAs as well as heads of service, team leaders, practitioners and councillors (who attend free of charge when accompanying an officer)

We anticipate an exciting programme of speakers including Lord McKenzie, Minister for Health and Safety and HSE Chair, Judith Hackitt.   

Due to popular demand, in 2008 we are reinstating the HELA Awards for Innovation.

In addition to having the usual overall award winner and runner(s) up, decided in advance by a panel of judges drawn from LAs, HSE and HELA, we will this year for the first time, also hold a ‘people’s award’, voted for by delegates attending the conference.

We are pleased to report that this year we have reduced the cost to delegates to £110 plus VAT and as in previous years, elected members may attend free of charge when accompanying a health and safety professional.  The delegate rate will include a buffet lunch and all refreshments.

Early booking is advisable as we anticipate the event to be very popular.

A registration form can be downloaded from:

or they can be obtained from:

Sean Edwards-Playne, HSE/Local Authority Unit
Tel: 020 7717 6438
Email: sean.edwards-playne@hse.gsi.gov.uk

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2008 HELA Awards For Innovation

This is a reminder that this year we are reinstating the HELA Awards for  Innovation and to make sure you have your submissions ready by the closing date below.

Winners will be announced and presented with their awards at this year’s Partnership Conference which will be taking place on 5 November 2008 at the Deansgate Hilton Hotel, Manchester.

As previously reported, we will also be holding a ‘people’s award’, voted for by delegates attending the conference.

Six entries will be shortlisted from those received and each one will be asked to give a short five minute presentation at the Conference.  Each successful shortlisted entrant will also be given a free place at this year’s event. 

Judges will select their own winners in advance from this six and conference delegates will have an opportunity to vote for the entry which they consider to be the most innovative.  All winners will be announced in an awards ceremony at the end of the day.  We think this will be a good opportunity to add some extra interest and delegate participation to the day’s proceedings as well of course being an excellent way to share good practice.

The closing date for entries is Friday 26 September 2008.

Examples of where innovative working could be demonstrated might include:

  • Support for the sensible risk campaign
  • Work clearly illustrating one or more better regulation principles
  • Work which has brought about increased skill/competence levels of EH staff
  • Work contributing to Local Strategic Partnerships/community priority themes
  • Work achieving a recognised public impact beyond those directly involved

Application packs can be downloaded from:

or they can be obtained from:

Sean Edwards-Playne, HSE/Local Authority Unit
Tel: 020 7717 6438
Email: sean.edwards-playne@hse.gsi.gov.uk

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Changes to Home Office guidance on using cautions

The Home Office has recently (10 July 2008) issued new guidance (circular 016/2008) on the use of cautions.

The new circular should be applied to all decisions relating to simple cautions from 10 July 2008, regardless of when the offence was committed.

The main changes are:-

  • Reaffirms that a simple caution is generally only appropriate for low level offending unless there are exceptional circumstances.
  • Rather than needing sufficient evidence to demonstrate a suspect's guilt to meet the Threshold Test ( at least a reasonable suspicion that the suspect has committed an offence), the Full Code evidential test must be satisfied -there must be a realistic prospect of conviction if the offender were to be prosecuted in line with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. It must also be in the public interest to use a simple caution as a means of disposal.
  • The full implications of a caution must now be given in writing and be signed by both the officer/investigator and the offender.
  • Offenders have the right to seek disclosure of the evidence before agreeing to accept a caution.
  • Clarifies that an admission of guilt is needed before a person can be invited to accept a caution: an admission must not be sought as part of the cautioning process

The changes do not affect HSE policy on when a Caution may be appropriate (outlined in OC130/7 and the Enforcement Guide). These state that a Caution may only be considered where a prosecution could properly be brought; i.e. the case meets the standard required by the evidential stage. As a result, the existing procedures for considering a prosecution should be followed. 

For local authorities, these are set out in LAC 22/19

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Local Authority (LA) Health and Safety returns (LAE1) forms

A number of LAs contacted by Partnership Managers about outstanding LAE1 forms for 2007/08 have stated that they have already returned the form.

If you have been contacted, can you please re-submit the form to lastatistics@hse.gsi.gov.uk  as many of the original submissions were sent to an incorrect e-mail address.

An error message stating that the form was not delivered, should have been sent to LAs automatically.

If you have any queries, please contact:

Tracey Oliver
Tel: 0151 951 4862
Email: tracey.oliver@hse.gsi.gov.uk

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