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Low Risk Strategy Is Seriously Flawed A government demand that local authorities undertake 65,000 fewer safety inspections each year is “seriously flawed” and will mean “many employers will think they don’t need to bother” with safety, retail union Usdaw has warned. In a 25 May 2011 statement to Hazards magazine, the union said it is “extremely worried by this government’s continued ideological attack on health and safety. The DWP proposals for a so-called ‘lighter touch’ approach flies in the face of the evidence.” Guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive and the Local Government Group spells out how local authorities will meet a government demand to cut preventive “proactive” inspections by a third. According to Usdaw, the new approach, based on “risk ratings” that would exempt many shops, offices and other local authority enforced businesses from inspections, “will expose workers to an increased risk of injury or ill health as financially hard-pressed employers let standards slip. How will inspectors be able to identify breaches of the regulations if they are not allowed to carry out preventive inspections? For most workplaces, an inspector will only get involved after someone has been killed or seriously injured – when it is too late.” The union adds that the narrow safety focus of the system means work-related health problems are not being considered in the enforcement approach. “It also ignores solid evidence from the UK and the US that shows that health and safety laws are not a burden on business,” said a union statement. “On the contrary they are good for the economy as a whole and employers who comply benefit from having a fitter workforce and a more sustainable business… The loss of 65,000 preventive inspections every year and yet another review based on the assumption that health and safety regulations are an unnecessary inconvenience send the wrong message to employers.” Download the guidance document here Download Risk Ratings here Source: TUC Risks
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