When its comes to protection size does not matter, says HSC Chair

C025:07 3 December 2007

Speaking at the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) think tank event today, Chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) Judith Hackitt reminded employers that when it came to the protection of their employees, size of the organisation/business must not matter. The event entitled 'Risk, Responsibility and Regulation' formed a part of a national debate recommended by the Better Regulation Commission on the management of risk and particularly a re-examination of areas where the state is perceived to have assumed more responsibility for peoples' lives than is healthy or desirable.

At the event, Ms Hackitt announced the launch of HSC's 2007 Simplification Plan, "The aims of our simplification plan are to reduce paperwork - yes - but NOT to reduce levels of protection. Our recent announcement of 2006/07 safety performance statistics in workplaces in Great Britain makes it absolutely clear that none of us - in HSE, the public sector, business, large or small enterprises - can afford to let up in any way on our commitment to improving health and safety outcomes in the workplace. Through our simplification plan we want to make it easier for all business to know what's required to comply with regulation."

Taking on the debate of whether regulation gets in the way of business Ms Hackitt said, "What will continue to be most challenging for us is the real paradox we live with in a society which on the one hand loves to point to any example of bureaucracy and over protection as yet another clear example of the nanny state but on the other hand has no hesitation in looking for someone to blame and calling for 'something' to be done when accidents and tragedies occur. Good regulation not only should but does enable businesses and organisations to conduct their activities more efficiently and effectively - and health and safety regulation is absolutely no exception to this."

HSE's Simplification Plan aims to reduce bureaucracy and paperwork in a way that is proportionate to the risk. Some highlights of the 2007 plan include:

• Example risk assessments - none of the media popular 60 page bureaucratic tickbox exercises but actually real examples endorsed by HSE of risk assessments, which are fit for purpose and 'good enough'. This includes a three page risk assessment used by Leicestershire County Council, which covers multiple activities.
• Introduction of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 which bring together 4 sets of regulation into one and make the key regulatory requirements much clearer.
• Rationalise and reduce the amount of HSE forms in use.
• Removal of a lot of redundant forms (50% of HSE's stock) and through its Business onLine Project HSE is now working to ensure that all those current forms are transferred to and available to business in electronic format.

Concluding her speech Ms Hackitt's gave a firm reminder to businesses, "It is a dangerous mistake to assume that small business equals low risk in all cases. Lets be in no doubt that in reducing bureaucracy it is the level of risk which counts and we must all be careful to ensure that levels of protection are maintained in all businesses - whatever their size."

Notes to editors

1. All businesses face requirements in law to assess the health and safety risks in their workplace (from the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations). Some regulations outline specific risks they need to consider, such as those faced by users of computers (Display Screen Equipment Regulations); those from lifting and carrying things (Manual Handling Regulations); and those from chemicals (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations). All of these requirements apply in some way in most businesses. A record of the risk assessment must be written and kept under review.
2. HSE is targeting this initiative at the six sectors in the economy that contain 70% of all businesses (Retail, Wholesale, Hotel & Catering, Transport, Motor Trade, Property and Business Services).
3. HSE has already published example assessments for an office, a car repair garage, a warehouse and a contract bricklayer. Today HSE launched further examples for a convenience store/newsagent, an estate agent and a general office cleaning contractor. Example assessments for dry cleaning, hairdressing, cold storage warehousing and catering are planned for launch in November.
4. Examples on risk assessment can be viewed on the HSE website. None of the example risk assessments is more than four pages long.
5. The HSC has overall responsibility for occupational health and safety regulations in Great Britain. The Commission consists of 10 people nominated by bodies with an interest in workplace health and safety. They are sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The DWP minister for occupational health and safety is Lord McKenzie of Luton.
6. The HSE and Local Authorities are the enforcing authorities that work in support of the Commission.

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