Cutting inspections in high-risk industries to “ease the regulatory burden on business” will risk lives, IOSH warned in its recent response to a Government announcement on health and safety.

The Institution wants reassurances that a number of industries – including construction, agriculture and manufacturing – will not be dropped from the proactive inspection and awareness-raising regimes.

The call is part of a response to Employment minister Chris Grayling’s report, Good Health and Safety, Good for Everyone, released in April, which outlines how ministers will take forward recommendations made by former advisor, Lord Young of Graffham.

“We’re concerned that proactive inspections are to be cut,” said head of policy and public affairs Richard Jones.

“It’s important to remember that the HSE already takes a risk-based approach to their enforcement strategy and enforcement is an important driver for compliance and worker and public protection.

“We’d like reassurances, given the number of work-related deaths, injuries and illnesses they suffer, that construction, agriculture and manufacturing will receive adequate enforcement, advice and awareness-raising.”
Richard also believes that occupational health and work-related road risk would benefit from higher, not lower levels of enforcement.

Good Health and Safety, Good for Everyone comes just five months after the publication of Lord Young’s review document, Common Sense, Common Safety. The prime minister and cabinet accepted all of the peer’s recommendations, which are now the subject of a series of consultations involving IOSH. Following Lord Young’s resignation in November 2010, Chris Grayling took on overall responsibility for implementation.

Good Health and Safety, Good for Everyone is described as the Government’s “next step” in its plans for reforming health and safety regulation for Britain’s businesses.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) highlights three key aspects to the reforms: the launch of the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants’ Register (OSHCR); a shift away from businesses that do the right thing, to health and safety enforcement activity focused on higher-risk areas and serious breaches of regulation; and simplification of health and safety legislation and guidance to ease the burden on businesses.
In response, IOSH sent a letter to Mr Grayling, saying:

• We welcome government recognition of the value of good health and safety advice for productive workforces and economic prosperity;
• We welcome moves to drive out any rogues from health and safety consultancy, including the launch of OSHCR;
• We support new guidance for small and ‘low-risk’ employers;
• We back moves to charge serious non-compliers for investigation and enforcement action;
• We call for reassurances that proactive inspections, advice and awareness-raising will not be cut from high-risk industries, including construction, manufacturing and agriculture;
• We believe that occupational health and work-related road risk would benefit from higher levels of enforcement, not lower levels; and
• We have concerns that over-simplification of regulations will lead to the erosion of essential worker and public protection.