Changes to health and safety regulation

Two revised health and safety regulations that are intended to help businesses comply with the law more easily came into force last week.

The first deals with the provision of first aid training, and takes the form of amendments to the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. It will make sure that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) no longer needs approve first aid training and qualifications.

The second change relates to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995, and is intended to clarify and simplify the reporting requirements, while ensuring that the data collected gives an accurate and useful picture of workplace incidents.

In particular:

• The classification of 'major injuries' to workers has been replaced with a shorter list of 'specified injuries'
• The existing schedule detailing 47 types of industrial disease has been replaced with eight categories of reportable work-related illness
• Fewer types of 'dangerous occurrence' require reporting

The amendments do not affect the procedures dealing with how an incident at work is reported and the criteria that determine whether an incident should be investigated.

If you have been injured in a workplace accident and require specialist legal advice, please complete our online enquiry form or call us on 0141 221 1919.