Health and safety news
Health and safety news
Keywords: Health and safety, Mobile equipment, Asbestos, Enforcement policy
All mobile work equipment provided for use before 5 December 1998 must be brought into compliance with Part III of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 by 5 December 2002. Mobile work equipment includes such items as fork-lift trucks, dumpers and tractors. Retro-fitting of roll-over protection, falling object protective structures, seat belts and mirrors may be required.
Adverse publicity about legislation to control white asbestos (chrysotile)in commercial buildings has prompted the HSE to issue a press release to confirm that chrysotile is a major health hazard. The HSE admits that the scientific evidence does not provide an easy answer to the question of just how dangerous white asbestos is, but maintains that the risk is a real one and steps must be taken to control it.
The HSC has published new enforcement policy criteria for deciding whether to investigate and prosecute breaches of health and safety law. Prosecution will normally take place where a death has resulted, where there has been reckless disregard of H&S requirements or where H&S management is far below what is required. The full policy statement may be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc15.pdf
