REVIEW OF EUROPEAN DIRECTIVES ON PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND WORKPLACE SAFETY

HSE press release: E038:02 -19 March 2003

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is seeking employers and workers views on the European Commission (EC) directives on workplace health, safety and welfare and on personal protective equipment.

The HSE review will evaluate the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 to ensure that the regulations are cost effective, meet the needs of business whilst ensuring they protect the health and safety of employees, and fulfil our commitment to implement the EC Workplace Directive (89/654/EEC) and the EC Directive on Personal Protective Equipment (89/656/EEC). As part of this evaluation HSE is asking employers and safety representatives for their views on a questionnaire which can be downloaded from the HSE website.

Dr William Gillan, HSE Head of General and Technical Safety Policy, said "HSE needs to take account of stakeholders' views in judging how effective we have been in implementing the directives. We are keen to hear views from people who have responsibilities for health and safety in the workplace (in both small and large firms) including safety representatives. An easy to complete questionnaire covering both sets of regulations has been produced. This will help us to find out, for example, how well the regulations are known and understood".

HSE is required by the EC to produce its second five-year report on the implementation of Directive 89/656/EEC, which was implemented in the UK in part through the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992; and Directive 89/654/EEC, which was implemented through the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.

The questionnaire is available to download from the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/spd/pdf/question.pdf

Notes For Editors

1. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 deal with the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as a means of controlling risks at work. PPE includes protective clothing such as safety footwear, helmets and high visibility clothing and protective equipment such as life jackets, respirators and safety harnesses. The regulations require the provision of PPE and its maintenance, storage and information, instruction and training to be provided with its use. The regulations should not be confused with Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002, which requires that PPE manufactured and supplied should be CE marked.

2. The purpose of the Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 was to ensure not only a safe working environment, but also the provision of sanitary and welfare facilities. The Regulations apply to the majority of workplaces with few exceptions, and cover a diverse range of issues including ventilation, temperature, traffic routes, falls, lighting and cleanliness.

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