Keeping it simple

The plan (available at www.hse.gov.uk/simplification/index.htm) outlines initiatives to reduce the paperwork costs to business associated with complying with health and safety law while maintaining or improving heath and safety standards. The report builds upon work already started by HSC/E on sensible risk and the need for businesses to focus on real health and safety risks rather than generating unnecessary paper mountains.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, Minister for health and safety, commented: "This is an excellent way forward for health and safety. I believe that HSC/E has prepared a robust, challenging plan, balancing both administrative burden reduction and wider better regulation initiatives. The plan outlines its commitment to delivering real and significant reductions in the costs to business of compliance with legislation. It aims to maintain or improve health and safety outcomes, while reducing costs of unnecessary paperwork to duty holders."

Key initiatives in this, the first year of the plan, focus on elements that affect the largest number of employers. These include:

Sensible risk management -simplifying HSE guidance to and encourage a proportionate approach to risk assessment and management.

Gas Safety Review - a review of the current regulatory regime, to improve and modernise the system on a risk and evidence basis.

Forms-projects to reduce the number and burden of HSE forms by stripping out all out-of-date forms and providing electronic versions of all those remaining.

Over the next four years HSE will be developing and updating the plan to report on progress and to ensure it continues to target the priority areas of concern to business.

Wide consultation:

HSC/E has consulted widely with businesses, trade bodies and unions in developing the plan. They continue to encourage feedback on the plan and any ideas for new simplification initiatives that might be included.

Welcoming the publication Dr Janet Asherson, head of health and safety at the CBI said, "CBI supports the removal of unnecessary administrative and bureaucratic burdens on business and welcomes the Health and Safety Executive contribution to the overall Government Better Regulation Initiative. The hard work put into this simplification plan will pay off when businesses notice the difference resulting from the actions it outlines."

Hugh Robertson, senior health and safety officer at the TUC said, "The TUC has always supported strong effective regulation. However if regulation can be simplified without reducing the level of protection it affords, that is in the interests of employees, employers and regulators. We believe the HSE/C have recognised this in their simplification plan which stresses that good regulation must be fit for purpose and effective."