ABOUT IOSHABOUT IOSH

• Established in 1945, received Royal Charter in 2003• Europes leading health and safety professional body • Over 27,000 members in more than 50 countries• An independent, not-for-profit organisation• Maintains and steers professional standards• Provides impartial, authoritative guidance on health

and safety issues

…for a healthy and safe world of work

THE LAWTHE LAW

• Evidence to Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry into health and safety

• Current regulatory regime is satisfactory• No call for much new legislation – in fact main drive

should be simplification especially for small businesses

DEREGULATION?DEREGULATION?

• World Bank places UK in top 10 of 130 nations for least regulation

• Arthur Andersen reports that we are more entrepreneur-friendly than any other EU state or the USA

• Economist puts UK top (with Switzerland) ahead of USA• UK economy has done well during the world downturn• Federation of Small Businesses reports growing

confidence, and growing businesses• We need to reject arguments that pretend that UK is

strangling in red tape, or that health & safety is just red tape

• Safe and healthy workplaces is an essential element of a fairly competitive, globalised economy

IOSH POSITIONIOSH POSITION

• Directing Mind requirement is inequitable• Cases have shown it hits small organisations,

protects large• Solution is to create a Statute which places burden

for acts and omissions fairly on all employers• New law would hold all to account• Care required to avoid personal witch hunts and

reluctance to take responsibility in management structures

• If well drafted will contribute to a better OSH regime• IOSH has consistently supported the calls for reform

of the law of manslaughter