IOSH in debate on health and safety regulations

16 January 2012

IOSH will take part tomorrow (January 17) in a debate on the changing nature of health and safety regulation in the UK, as the Government takes forward the wide-ranging proposals set out in Lord Young’s review Common Sense, Common Safety.

The seminar, in Westminster, will examine how reforms are being implemented as Ministers intend to simplify and reduce the regulation of low-hazard working environments, and tackle the perceived “compensation culture” of health and safety litigation.

IOSH Council member Kevin Bridges will be among speakers at the event, also set to include HSE chair Judith Hackitt, Professor Ragnar Lofstedt, who led the Government-commissioned review of UK health and safety regulations, and Robert Wright, Head of Civil Litigation and Funding, Ministry of Justice.

Kevin will tell the seminar that IOSH supports streamlining of regulations “but no erosion of standards”, and that we believe that it isn’t health and safety law that is the problem, “just the misunderstanding of it”.

IOSH is urging the Government to refocus on improving public understanding of the real legal requirements and not just on cutting the number of regulations.

Other scheduled speakers at the event include: Mary Boughton, chair, Health and Safety and Risk Management Committee, Federation of Small Businesses; Andrew Dismore, campaign co-ordinator, Access to Justice Action Group (AJAG); Paul Hopkin, technical director, Airmic; and Andy Lucas, operations manager (health and safety), Birmingham City Council.

Katy Clark MP, member of the all-party parliamentary health and safety group, and Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Wirral, chair of the all-party parliamentary group for legal and constitutional affairs, will chair the seminar.

Please follow @IOSH_tweets tomorrow for news from the seminar.