New SHP book updates health and safety legislation knowledge
The Safety and Health Practitioner (SHP) organisation has published a new eBook that updates knowledge about recent changes in health and safety, and how they affect UK businesses.
Following the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, the government is expected to introduce new health and safety legislation. This is expected to give more rights for workers to deal with employers who flout safety laws. It will also allow workers with health conditions to demand workplace adjustments to make working safer and easier. Workers returning from sickness absence can have a phased work return.
The book also looks at the implications of Brexit, especially what will happen if there is ‘no deal’ withdrawal from the European Union. Should this happen, health and safety legislation and product safety laws are not expected to significantly change, and companies will be required to continue to protect workers with PPE (personal protective equipment) and provide safety training. Some regulations about products such as the Registration, Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation are among EU laws affecting product safety that may not apply to Britain post-Brexit. This could restrict the ability to sell certain products to Europe.
The book notes that in 2018/2019, there were several firms fined over £1m for serious safety breaches that caused serious injuries. SHP urges every employer to have best practices that protect workers and the public from injuries.
The SHP Health & Safety legislation book can be downloaded for free as an eBook from the SHP website.