Two revised health and safety regulations are now in place that will help businesses more easily comply with the law.
The reporting of workplace injuries has been simplified and greater flexibility has been introduced for managing the provision of first aid training.
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 have been amended to remove the requirement for HSE to approve first aid training and qualifications.
The change is part of HSE's work to reduce the burden on businesses and put common sense back in to health and safety, while maintaining standards. The new approach applies to businesses of all sizes and from all sectors.
Changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 have been introduced that clarify and simplify the reporting requirements, while ensuring that the data collected gives an accurate and useful picture of workplace incidents.
The main changes are in the following areas:
- The classification of 'major injuries' to workers has been replaced with a shorter list of 'specified injuries'
- The existing schedule detailing 47 types of industrial disease replaced with eight categories of reportable work-related illness
- Fewer types of 'dangerous occurrence' require reporting
The changes affect all employers - including the self-employed.
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