21/03/2011 03:18 PM
The government will undertake a root and branch review of all UK health and safety legislation, it has been reported, which will be of interest to people who are looking to buy or are involved in security fencing.
Outlining the plans, employment minister Chris Grayling said it was hoped that regulations deemed to putting an unnecessary burden on business will be scrapped, while high-risk sites should get more focus.
The proposals include removing automatic health and safety checks for responsible employers, instead switching attention to high-risk sites or rogue employers.
As previously mooted in a leaked letter to the BBC's File on Four Programme, the number of UK inspections will also be cut by a third.
There is also concern about a plethora of unqualified health and safety consultants who have created many of the UK's most inept health and safety recommendations.
Instead a new group of qualified consultants will be made available to businesses, and people who are found to be untrained or offer bad advice will be excluded from the list.
Commenting on the proposed reforms, David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "A thorough review of health and safety rules can only be good news, provided it is followed by real action to reduce burdens on businesses.
"Simplifying and codifying health and safety laws will help employers spend less time on tick box exercises, and more time focusing on growing their businesses."
Outlining the plans, employment minister Chris Grayling said it was hoped that regulations deemed to putting an unnecessary burden on business will be scrapped, while high-risk sites should get more focus.
The proposals include removing automatic health and safety checks for responsible employers, instead switching attention to high-risk sites or rogue employers.
As previously mooted in a leaked letter to the BBC's File on Four Programme, the number of UK inspections will also be cut by a third.
There is also concern about a plethora of unqualified health and safety consultants who have created many of the UK's most inept health and safety recommendations.
Instead a new group of qualified consultants will be made available to businesses, and people who are found to be untrained or offer bad advice will be excluded from the list.
Commenting on the proposed reforms, David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "A thorough review of health and safety rules can only be good news, provided it is followed by real action to reduce burdens on businesses.
"Simplifying and codifying health and safety laws will help employers spend less time on tick box exercises, and more time focusing on growing their businesses."
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