UK businesses support health and safety regulations

A survey by Unchecked UK, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and others found that 69% of 2,000 organisations surveyed did not want health and safety standards to be diluted.

The government’s Retained EU Law Bill will revoke some European Union laws that currently apply to the UK. The bill is at the House of Lords committee stage. Critics of the bill say that it will reduce protection for workers. In a statement, the Head of Policy at RoSPA, Nathan Davies, said:

“As it stands, the health and safety of Britain’s 32 million-strong workforce is under threat with the way the Retained EU Law Bill proposes to deal with vital legislation.” 
 
The Law Society is concerned about the erosion of worker rights if the Retained EU Law Bill is passed in parliament.
 
The survey respondents gave several reasons why they want to retain robust health and safety laws. As well as protecting workers through PPE (personal protective equipment) and other regulations, health and safety rules create public trust in products. Businesses believe that retaining EU safety laws will make it easier to sell goods and services in Europe. Strict laws help prevent companies that don't spend enough on health and safety from undercutting businesses that are fully invested in protecting their workers. 
 
Nusrat Ghani, the government’s minister for industry and investment security, supports the Retained EU Law Bill. He said he believes that retained EU law is “constitutionally undesirable”, and that fears over the weakening of workers’ rights are based on false information.