Humber Branch 2 April 2003

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ABOUT IOSH

• Established in 1945, received Royal Charter in
  2003
• Europes leading health and safety professional
  body
• Over 27,000 members in more than 50 countries
• An independent, not-for-profit organisation
• Maintains and steers professional standards
• Provides impartial, authoritative guidance on
  health and safety issues
• for a healthy and safe world of work

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THE LAW

• Evidence to Work and Pensions Select Committee
  Inquiry into health and safety
• Current regulatory regime is satisfactory
• No call for much new legislation in fact main
  drive should be simplification especially for
  small businesses

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DEREGULATION?

• World Bank places UK in top 10 of 130 nations for
  least regulation
• Arthur Andersen reports that we are more
  entrepreneur-friendly than any other EU state or
  the USA
• Economist puts UK top (with Switzerland) ahead of
  USA
• UK economy has done well during the world
  downturn
• Federation of Small Businesses reports growing
  confidence, and growing businesses
• We need to reject arguments that pretend that UK
  is strangling in red tape, or that health
  safety is just red tape
• Safe and healthy workplaces is an essential
  element of a fairly competitive, globalised
  economy

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IOSH POSITION

• Directing Mind requirement is inequitable
• Cases have shown it hits small organisations,
  protects large
• Solution is to create a Statute which places
  burden for acts and omissions fairly on all
  employers
• New law would hold all to account
• Care required to avoid personal witch hunts and
  reluctance to take responsibility in management
  structures
• If well drafted will contribute to a better OSH
  regime
• IOSH has consistently supported the calls for
  reform of the law of manslaughter

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