HSE Developing 'Low Risk' Assessment Tools

The independence of the HSE from government has often been under scrutiny, but now it seems that it is simply part of the Con-Dem(ned) coalition machinery embarked on watering down and dumbing down health and safety legislation and procedures. Whilst that may be one view, the government beleives that many small businesses and organisations will benefit from simpler health and safety documentation.

Risk assessments have traditionally filled employers with fear, especially those who do not see the health and safety of their workers as a priority.

With the coalition insisting that the majority of workplaces are of low risk, the HSE is putting resources into producing basic and simplified risk assessment forms in order to ensure SME's and voluntary groups adhere to health and safety legislation.

Supporters of this exercise no doubt hope that making things appear simpler in terms of documentation, may well make more employers take the issue seriously and give it a higher priority.

Most union safety reps will argue that if the loss of productivity through deaths and injuries at work doesn't make employers take health and safety seriously, then nothing else will - apart from prosecution that is!

The latest simple risk assessment form from the HSE is aimed at 'low risk' charity shops, which is currently out for consultation along with one for the Classroom. There is also one for shops in general. These current consultations end early March.

In the meantime, a newly developed Office Risk Assessment has been published on the HSE website. It was under a consultation exercise which ended 7th January.

Whilst the impression is that all existing risk assessment tools and forms supplied by the HSE will undergo this simplification exercise, concerns for the detrimental effect this will have on the HSE's existing resources and their need to reduce their budget by a minimum of 35%; will no doubt grow.

Consultation exercises give the health and safety community, including union safety reps, the opportunity to influence the final outcome of such 'Low Risk' assessment tools and other changes to health and safety procedures, advice and legislation. An example of this is the current one being run regading proposed changes to RIDDOR, which was highlighted by Unionsafety last week.

Individuals can register with the HSE to be advised by email of any new consultations, the day they become available. As a result they may then take up the opportunity to have their say over any proposed documentation changes or new laws and amendments.

You can register for email consultation alerts from the HSE here

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