What health and safety cut backs could mean for the workplace.
In 2010 the Prime Minister commissioned Lord Young?s review of the Health and Safety Executive?s (HSE) regulations, leading to the Common Sense, Common Safety report. This report affects how the health and safety system operates in the UK. It has since been accepted by the Government and is currently in the process of being implemented.
An aspect of Lord Young?s report set out to cull the funding of the independent watchdog HSE. This has since led to the body cutting down on what it states were trivialised endeavours in a bid to conserve money, part of their strategy stating they will cut back on, ?Unnecessary risk aversion?. The HSE are now channelling their efforts and funds on any premises categorised as high risk. 2011/12 sees further augmentations to the UK?s health and safety regime, which will continue to cut back on HSE funds through to 2015. The HSE have stated that they view any reductions in their funding as a positive move, enabling them to become more focused in their efforts.
Many workplaces that were previously under regulation by regular HSE inspections are now left alone. Pro-active inspections will only be carried out in workplaces that are deemed of both significant risk and necessary by the HSE. Inspections will be stopped in establishments that prove of little or no threat to the workers. HSE chief executive, Geoffrey Podger, admitted that some of workplaces now being left alone still class as high risk.
However, in recent years government approved strategies to cut back on the HSE?s funding have laid out cuts of up to 35 per cent by 2015. While the HSE is outwardly welcoming the changes, claiming it will help them to channel their efforts into the areas that require it most, it could lead to significant pitfalls in their system.
The HSE proposed to regain lost funds by introducing a fee for fault scheme- charging those establishments that prove to be a consistent threat to health and safety. Measures such as cutting back on future staff recruitment and health and safety campaigns such as the asbestos awareness have also been undertaken in a bid to conserve funds. Despite many reservations on the ability of the HSE to function on such limited funds, HSE spokespersons remain insistent that only positive changes have been made in becoming ultimately more efficient in their methods.
If you do have any concerns regarding health and safety in the workplace, report it to HSE?s Complaints and Advisory Team on 0300 0031647. Accidents and fatalities can be reporting to the Incident Contact Centre 0845 300 9923 or online.
If you have an accident at work and your company isn?t upto code you could be entitled to compensation.
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