The table below provides an update on estimated savings delivered by May and December 2009. All estimated savings are based on the ABME figures and have been rounded up or down. These figures may change following evaluation of some projects over the next year. The evaluations will aim to establish from business the level of reduction of unnecessary administrative burdens as a result of the initiatives.
| Simplification initiative | Estimated gross savings to May 2009 | Estimated gross savings to December 2009 | Estimated target reduction by May 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ongoing initiatives | |||
| Sensible Risk Management – example risk assessments Other risk assessment requirements1 |
£182 million £18.4 million |
£235 million £18.4 million |
£235 million £18.4 million |
| Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations | £0 | £0 | £27 million |
| Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations | £33 million | £33 million | £33 million |
| The written health and safety policy statement and Electronic risk assessment template | £0 £0 |
£26.5 million £27 million |
£26.5 millio £27 million |
| Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations – rationalising and improving guidance and reducing risk assessment costs | £0 | £11.1 million | £11.1 million |
| Business on-line project | £673,000 | £673,000 | £10 million |
| Good practice guidance on worker involvement | £36.6 million | £36.6 million | £36.6 million |
| Docks Form | £0 | £0 | £3.6 million |
| Completed initiatives | |||
| Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 | £27.7 million | £27.7 million | £27.7 million |
| Manual Handling Operations Regulations | £32.5 million | £32.5 million | £32.5 million |
| Forms project – including removal of 8 forms | £21.3 million | £21.3 million | £21.3 million |
| Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations | £17 million | £17 million | £17 million |
| RIDDOR project | £16.5 million | £16.5 million | £16.5 million |
| Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations | £10.7 million | £10.7 million | £10.7 million |
| Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 2005 | £3.8 million | £3.8 million | £3.8 million |
| Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 | £3.6 million | £3.6 million | £3.6 million |
| Removal of ACoP for Zoos | £544,000 | £544,000 | £544,000 |
| Totals | £403.6 million | £520.7 million | £548.4 million |
1 Risk assessment requirements for manual handling, display screen equipment and noise were also measured by the ABME. The example risk assessments, as part of SRM, also tackle the costs of these requirements.
Up to and including May 2009, HSE reduced administrative burdens by an estimated £382 million net, equating to 18.9% net reduction, and by December will achieve an estimated £499 million reduction net, or 24.7% net reduction – but this figure includes estimated savings that have not been fully evaluated and may be subject to revision,
Many of HSE’s initiatives involve embedding a culture change within businesses, rather than regulatory changes, for example the Sensible Risk Management campaign. Businesses may sometimes therefore not notice the impact of these initiatives immediately.
Work on these initiatives has also meant a greater emphasis on working in partnership, primarily with local authorities as co-regulators but also with other regulators and stakeholders.
HSE will continue to:
The graph below shows a trajectory of HSE’s projected savings, with increases at the beginning of the timeline due to new administrative burdens imposed by new or amending legislation introduced at that time. In the last year, HSE has not introduced any legislation that has added administrative burdens on businesses, and it is not anticipated at this stage that significant burdens will be introduced during the lifetime of the administrative burden reduction programme.
The red line in the graph shows the target figure following HSE’s 25% reduction in administrative burdens. At this stage, HSE is on course to reach this target. Savings may increase or decrease in light of the evaluations outlined above.
