Better regulation, not less regulation, demands TUC

The government's "better regulation" drive should concentrate on making workplace safety more effective rather than simply trying to reduce regulatory burdens on business, the TUC has said.

This month the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its initial "draft simplification plan", based on the Better regulation action plan launched by chancellor Gordon Brown in May (see Workplace Report, June 2005).

Railing against "bureaucratic processes", the simplification plan says the HSE will "reduce the burden of forms by 25%", "simplify guidance on risk assessment", "remove unnecessary record-keeping [and] notifications" and explore "alternatives to regulation".

But it includes no ideas for ensuring that employers carry out risk assessments or fulfil their other legal responsibilities.

And unions are concerned that important elements of regulation - including inspection and enforcement - will be sidelined.

"Better regulation does not mean less regulation," said TUC head of safety Hugh Robertson. "It can mean simpler regulation, or it can mean more regulation. We hope that the HSE will see this exercise as a way of increasing its effectiveness. That means making sure it is fit for purpose and properly enforced."

The HSE's commitment to "prevent unnecessary or unjustified inspections of organisations whose activities are low risk and/or levels of compliance are good" implies that it will not investigate all serious injuries or respond to concerns raised by safety reps.

Robertson called on the HSE "to really improve the regulatory regime, have a joined-up approach to enforcement and increase the level and type of enforcement".

The HSE has to produce a further draft by February 2006, and is now consulting on its initial proposals. Details of the consultation are at www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/simplification.htm