HSE to contribute safety report to energy review

HSE press release E005:06 23 January 2006

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirmed today that it is to produce a report on health and safety issues relating to significant energy sources and technologies, as a contribution to the Government's Energy Review.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has asked HSE for an expert report that assesses potential risks associated with new energy developments and sets out HSE's regulatory approach to ensuring these risks are sensibly managed by industry.

HSE Chief Executive, Geoffrey Podger, said: "Safety is an important consideration in this Review and HSE welcomes the Government's recognition of this. There are risks associated with energy generation and distribution, as with most industrial activity. Sensible health and safety is about managing such risks effectively, not eliminating them, and ensuring the regulatory system enjoys public confidence.

HSE is committed to working with others to improve health and safety but without hindering technological and industrial development.

"HSE has established a project team to deliver the HSE report, which will be published, by the end of June. HSE will provide independent, expert advice on health and safety issues. It will not be for HSE to offer views on the desirability or economic viability of specific energy options.

DTI has asked HSE to offer expert advice on risks, both to workers and the public, arising from some recent and possible future developments, including:

• An increasing need for gas storage as the UK becomes an importer;
• New demonstration projects for carbon capture and storage, and its potential in the UK;
• Increasing penetration of renewables (e.g. wind, wave, biomass) and distributed generation; and
• In the event of the building of new nuclear power stations, the potential role of pre-licensing assessments of candidate designs.

Geoffrey Podger concluded: "HSE is pleased to have been asked to make this contribution to the Energy Review and we are committed firmly to delivering a quality product to DTI by the end of June."

Notes to editors

1. HSE is the independent health and safety regulator for a range of energy-related industries, e.g. coal mining, offshore oil and gas production, nuclear power generation, gas and electricity transmission (i.e. pipelines and the electricity grid), and has a wealth of experience and expertise in risk assessment and management.
2. Under the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended), a licence is required for the operation of nuclear reactors and certain other installations. HSE issues these site licenses through its Nuclear Safety Directorate (also known as the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, or NII).

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