Latest News in Health, Safety & the Environment

  An independent panel to consider challenges to health and safety regulatory advice is now established. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is supporting the new panel, which will look into issues raised by business where they believe a HSE or local authority health and safety inspector has given advice that is incorrect or disproportionate. The panel will not look at issues...

The number of directors and senior managers prosecuted under section 37 of the HSWA 1974 has rocketed by more than 400 per cent in the last five years, according to unofficial figures released by the HSE in response to a freedom of information (FoI) request. In October last year, solicitor Lee Hughes asked the regulator a number of questions regarding prosecutions of individual directors over...

 A new report looking at ways of slashing the £60 billion cost of poor health among workers states the rules around sick leave and GPs signing patients off work should change. The director for health and work, Dame Carol Black, and the former director of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost, were asked by ministers to undertake the research. Their report argues that independent...

From April next year the HSE will charge duty-holders who materially breach health and safety law an hourly rate of £124 for its intervention, which will be counted from when a letter or e-mail recording the duty-holder’s breach is sent. These were among the proposals agreed to by the HSE Board on 7 December based on a presentation of the outcome of the recent consultation...

Reaction the Government’s latest review of health and safety has been generally positive, with most commentators pleased at Professor Löfstedt’s conclusion that the current health and safety landscape is broadly fit for purpose and his consequent decision to refrain from applying the shears to the statute book.The HSE welcomed the review, calling it “insightful” and...

George Osborne delivered his 2011 Autumn Statement this week. In his statement he explained what action the Government will take to safeguard the UK from global instability and the euro area crisis and build a stronger, more balanced economy for the future.  From an Environmental perspective the following were of importance: Heavy industries are to get £250m assistance in...