London Safety Group AGM

1. London Safety Group AGM Tim Galloway HSE Head of Operations, London

2. Content • Recent key national developments • Common Sense, Common Safety • Minister Grayling’s announcement • Recent local developments • Local authority partnership • Preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic games • Interim divisional structure

3. Common Sense, Common Safety • Published in October 2010. • The review investigated concerns over the application and perception of health and safety legislation, together with the rise of the compensation culture over the last decade. • 17 of the report’s recommendations fall to HSE to deliver.

5. OSHCR • Specific recommendation for consultants to be accredited • Establish a web based directory of accredited health and safety consultants • http://www.oshcr.org/

6. On line risk assessment tools • Produce an assessment tailored to the low risk business by allowing them to select relevant hazards and think about how they are controlled • Tools for low risk shops offices and classrooms went out to consultation at the end of 2010 • http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/assessment.htm

7. Guidance for SMEs • Recommendation for clear separate guidance focused on SMEs engaged in lower risk activities • Series of actions to implement recommendation • Seeking to deliver key parts by June 2011

9. Guidance on • Appointing a competent health and safety adviser; • Writing a health and safety policy; • Completing risk assessments; • Consulting with employees; • Providing adequate levels of training and welfare facilities; and • Obtaining Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance.

10. Other recommendations • Europe-The UK should take the lead in cooperating with other member states to ensure that EU health and safety rules for low risk businesses are not overly prescriptive, are proportionate and do not attempt to achieve the elimination of all risk. • Abolish the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority and replace licensing with a code of practice.

11. Other recommendations (2) • The HSE should develop checklists for use by voluntary organisations. • Exempt employers from risk assessments for employees working from home in a low hazard environment. • Exempt self-employed people in low hazard businesses from risk assessments.

12. Next steps • Monthly reporting against the Structural Reform Plan • Evaluation of consultation responses • Continue to implement recommendations for which HSE are responsible and to work closely with OGDs leading on other recommendations

13. Ministerial announcement • Outlined a new health and safety framework • focused on better health and safety outcomes and not purely technical breaches of the law; • as straightforward as possible for business, and in particular, small businesses, to deliver a health and safe working environment; • enforced in a manner which is proportionate to risk; • avoids placing unnecessary burdens on businesses which manage health and safety effectively; and • maintains a strong deterrent against those who fail to meet their health and safety obligations and put their employees at material risk thereby also deriving an unfair competitive advantage.

14. Future of inspection by HSE • Those sectors which present comparatively high risk and where, in our judgement, proactive inspection remains necessary as part of the overall regulatory approach; • Those sectors where there remains comparatively high risk but proactive inspection is not considered a useful component of future interventions; and • Those areas where proactive inspection is not justified in terms of outcomes.

15. Approach to regulation • Even sharper focus on high risk sectors and poor performers, e.g. • Construction • Waste and Recycling • Dutyholders with previous poor records • Intelligence-led visits • Fewer proactive inspections in lower risk areas • Continued focus on major hazard industries • No industry is ‘off limits’ – reactive visits following incidents, complaints etc. • Government seeking similar approach from local authorities

16. Extension of cost recovery • Burden of health and safety should shift from the taxpayer to those creating risk • Recover costs where we find material breach • Costs of advice on land use planning

17. Partnership with LAs • LAs enforce in a number of industries • Retail and wholesale distribution • Offices • Some areas cross enforcement boundaries (e.g. movement of goods) • Partnership with LAs remains key • Interwoven into our business, rather than through separate partnership teams • Joint working will continue • Olympics

18. Olympics and Paralympics • HSE’s approach • to work with and through others on this project to drive up standards of occupational health, safety and welfare; • to be a best practice regulator, thereby enhancing the reputation of HSE and the health and safety brand; and • to ensure good practice and lessons learned are shared to create a lasting health, safety and welfare legacy.

19. Progress to date • Strong health and safety performance during ‘big build’, • Early setting and enforcement of standards by site operators • In general projects have been well managed with good practice on: • vehicle and pedestrian segregation • work at height; and • management of hand arm vibration

20. Legacy – case studies- reducing manual handling risks

21. Next stage – games delivery • Similar ‘early intervention’ approach • Working with LOCOG • Intervention strategy of sample inspections • Other dutyholders and key players • Local authorities • Transport providers • Other bodies delivering the games

22. Interim Divisional structure • Interim structure pending final decisions • FOD London and FOD ESE merged; separate national Construction division • Heather Bryant as Divisional Director • Joint working and planning for 11/12 planning year • London will no longer be separate division in HSE FOD • Major Hazards work unaffected

23. Conclusions • Continued commitment to high standards of health and safety in Great Britain • Common Sense, Common Safety • Ministerial announcement • Focus on high risk sectors and poor performers • No industry exempt from requirements to protect workers and the public

24. Conclusions (cont) • Working with Local Authority colleagues will continue • Olympics • Showpiece event for UK; showpiece event for health and safety • Legacy for health and safety will be vital • promulgating good practice and • enhancing reputation of health and safety, facilitator not barrier.

25. Questions? Thank you for your attention – any questions?