Busy summer ahead for the BSIF

At the end of March we were disappointed when the Deregulation Bill passed through parliament for Royal Assent, legislation that sought, apart from those undertaking activities on a prescribed list,  to exempt the self employed from section 3 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. 

The BSIF felt that the default position of the Bill should have been that the self employed remained within the Act apart from those in specific jobs and roles.  We believed that this made it clear that only those in specified occupations would be released from responsibilities. The bill passed through with only minor amendments on the basis that the self employed would be excluded except for those in a defined list.

The orientation of the Bill did not effectively communicate the importance of safety and health. The implications of this will be felt immediately as tradesman may assume they are outside of the Bill and therefore absolved of any responsibility under the Health & Safety At Work Act.

 Individuals in effect would be opting themselves in and the decision is not a forced one. 

We in the BSIF strongly believe that our country’s health and safety record is worthy of celebration and our legislation should reflect this by ensuring the health and safety of our workforce is paramount to the success of UK plc.  

We can’t say with certainty what the new Conservative led government has in mind regarding a health and safety action plan and policy, but we hope this issue is quickly addressed and we can work with relevant bodies to action these essential changes.  

BSIF Safety Awards 2015

On 7th May a group of leading industry figures gathered in Birmingham to decide who would win the BSIF Safety Awards. With much deliberation they decided on the shortlisted finalists of the Product Innovation Award. The finalists are as follows: 

Casella – Airwave App

Safety Apps – Risk Assessor

Arco – Impact Glove

Portwest – Araflame Coverall

GVS Filter Technology – Elipse Integra

Honeywell – Miller H Design Harness

Honeywell – Skeleton Glove

3M Organic Gas & Vapour Service Life Indicator Filters.

Scott Safety – 379 Bar Cylinder

Ejendals – Jalas System

Uvex – CR Clean Room Eye Protection

At a high profile reception on Tuesday 16th June at the Safety & Health Expo in London’s ExCel Centre, the Product Innovation, Service and Safety Excellence Award winners will all be announced. 

 

BSIF backs BOHS Breathe Freely initiative  

Recently the BOHS, the Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection, launched its Breathe Freely initiative, a campaign aimed at reducing occupational lung disease in the construction industry.  This is a collaborative approach and partners include the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Constructing Better Health, Land Securities and Mace.

The Breathe Freely initiative provides practical advice and information on a new Worker Health Protection Management Standard, a free tool developed specifically for the construction industry setting out good practice for managing health risks.  Twenty fact sheets have been developed for twenty different trades, highlighting the main hazards, highest risks and preferred control options. 

This campaign and the support it has generated indicates the ever increasing awareness of occupational health issues after years of safety being the priority. Industry support is essential to securing the success of this campaign and we are extremely proud to be supporting the initiative. 

To learn more about Breathe Freely please visit http://www.breathefreely.org.uk.

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