Health and safety review offers sensible framework

15 October 2010

Lord Young’s review of Health and Safety provides a broadly sensible framework for future enforcement, according to the BRC which welcomes several key recommendations in today’s report.

In particular the BRC welcomes:

- steps to simplify the risk assessment procedure for low hazard workplaces like shops.

- a proposed consultation aimed at improving the system of Heath and Safety for large multi-site retail businesses.

- moves to discourage baseless no-win no-fee litigation by curbing advertising and restricting the operation of referral companies and personal injury lawyers.

The BRC also backs the recommendation for the UK Government to takes steps to ensure EU health and safety rules for low risk businesses are not overly prescriptive. The sector offers its full cooperation and support in achieving this aim.

BRC Director of Business and Regulation, Tom Ironside, said: “Today’s review is a win for common sense. Not all work places are the same and this report recognises that the precautions needed in an industrial setting are different from those in a low-risk environment like a shop. The central focus of today’s recommendation is sound and sets us on a path toward the risk-based approach to Health and Safety we have been seeking.

“Any move that frees retailers from the time and expense of pointless red tape is welcome. We look forward to working with the Heath and Safety Executive to see how health and safety procedures can be simplified for members with shops in several different regions. We will continue to support moves to simplify risk assessment procedures for shop owners and managers.

“We also welcome steps to discourage nuisance compensation claims and curb the pernicious influence of speculative no-win no-fee law suits. The cost to retailers of defending themselves against these sorts of cases has led to a significant increase in both insurance premiums and solicitors fees in recent years.”

The BRC will be considering the implications of today’s recommendations and looks forward to working with relevant government agencies and departments to ensure health and safety legislation does not unnecessarily impede retailers.

In particular the BRC will look at the practicality of combining food safety and health and safety inspections and the possible role of accredited schemes in the inspection regime.

Notes

Lord Young’s review of Health and Safety, titled Common Sense, Common Safety is available from http://www.number10.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/402906_CommonSense_acc.pdf

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