IOSH to organise EU workshop in Brussels

1 December 2011

IOSH Chief Executive Rob Strange OBE (left) at the European Parliament, in Brussels, with Employment Minister Chris Grayling MP (centre) and Professor Ragnar E Löfstedt

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) will take a role in a European Union-wide review of health and safety regulations.

IOSH plans to hold a workshop on evidence-based health and safety at the European Parliament, in Brussels, next year as part of the EU’s review of its regulatory system, due for completion in 2013.

Chief Executive Rob Strange was invited to organise the meeting with MEPs and EU officials by Professor Ragnar Lofstedt, the author of a Government-commissioned report on the UK’s health and safety system.

Some 41 of the 65 new health and safety regulations introduced in the UK between 1997 and 2009 originated in the EU, quoted the report. It’s why the Institution, as Europe’s biggest professional body in occupational safety and health, wants to be influential in the review.

Rob and Prof Lofstedt spoke on November 30 at the European Parliament launch of the academic’s report, ‘Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and safety legislation’.

Rob asked the professor and Employment Minister Chris Grayling MP at the launch: “We have played a key role with Prof Lofstedt’s review and we gave evidence. How can stakeholders such as IOSH play a part in the EU review?”

Mr Grayling told the meeting: “Institutions like IOSH need to be working closely with counterparts in other member states. What I think we shouldn’t have is a position of having a review in 2013 which is just about where can we provide more regulations in the workplace.”

Prof Lofstedt replied: “IOSH should engage with like-minded EU states … and you should do this as quickly as possible. You should engage with people here in Brussels, but also the DG (Directorate-General) for Employment.
“And I suggest you should hold a workshop on evidence-based health and safety here in Brussels.” Prof Lofstedt said he would take part in the workshop.

After the report’s Westminster launch on November 28, IOSH raised concerns about the “speed and scale” of the Government’s plan, outlined in its response to the report, to halve the number of health and safety regulations, and exempt self-employed people from health and safety obligations.

But the Institution welcomed the chance to streamline and simplify regulations where possible. It supports a risk- and evidence-based approach to legislation and believes the more prescriptive nature of EU legislation may have helped small firms seeking clarity.

And IOSH believes an EU-review would present an opportunity to create a level playing field across Europe.

Speaking after the Brussels launch, Rob said: “I think this opportunity that we’ve got from today’s launch here in the European Parliament to hold a workshop next year, run and hosted by IOSH, gives us a great opportunity to engage with MEPs, EU officials and health and safety professionals throughout the EU member states, so I’m very optimistic and excited about this.”

ends