Government reducing number of inspectors by one-third
All health and safety laws are under review in the United Kingdom. The government said it is going to get rid of any health and safety laws that put an “unnecessary” burden on employers, according to media reports.
Regulation going forward should focus on high risk sites, such as energy, nuclear sites and chemical industries, said Work and Pensions Minister Chris Grayling. Less focus on medium- and low- risk industries should see a reduction of about one-third — 11,000 — inspections a year, according to media reports.
The minister is also proposing a charge on employers who endanger public and employee safety by making them pay the costs of investigations that show them to be in breach of the law, in the event of a complaint.
Health and safety consultants are also under review, with the government proposing they were responsible for many of Britain’s “inappropriate” health and safety recommendations. A new register of qualified consultants will be made available to businesses, and those who are untrained or give false advice will be excluded from the approved list.
