Chair of the Health and Safety Executive said paperwork has become a bugbear for those undertaking risk assessments and does not fall in line with the HSE’s emphasis on managing risks…
Paperwork is undoubtedly the worst part of any role, but Health and Safety Executive Chair Judith Hackitt has stressed it has become a “bugbear” for those who have to carry out risk assessments required by The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – Regulation 3.
In a recent blog post, she stated the difficulties facing small and medium businesses and said it was important to make the process of health and safety as straight forward as possible.
She said: “…I believe that if you make something easy to do, people are more likely to do it. That principle lies behind HSE’s drive over recent years to simplify regulations and guidance – especially with small and medium sized enterprises in mind. We know we have reached over one million SMEs with our “Easy as ABC” guidance.
Hackitt also said the focus on risk assessment paperwork did not fall into line with the HSE’s emphasis on managing risks and thinking about what would be a risk.
She added: “It’s the paperwork that makes risk assessment a bugbear, not thinking about the risks and doing something about the really serious ones which is what we require people to do.
“We will continue to look for ways in which we can make health and safety easy for small businesses because we want to see them making an ever increasing contribution to the economy of this country which includes keeping their employees safe and well at work.
“I can’t help feeling its time others started to look at the “tape” –and burden – which their advice to business creates – they may not think its red but some of it looks that way to me!”
The full blog post can be viewed here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/news/judith-risk-assessment/gold-plating-or-feather-bedding310715.htm