Major Health and Safety legislation to be amended

In a massive overhaul of health and safety regulations, the HSC (Health and Safety Commission) is planning to amend each of the following:

 - Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1991;
 - Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992;
 - Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992;
 - Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992;
 - Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992;
 - Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998;
 - Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998; and
 - Quarries Regulations 1999.

The changes are being made to clarify a number of issues recently raised by the European Commission (EC) on specific aspects of the UK's implementation of five directives, and to ‘tidy up’, for example, incorrect cross-references within regulations.

HSC Chair Bill Callaghan said: "These amendments will help greatly in clarifying and simplifying the requirements of the law. I hope the changes will make the regulations covered by this CD [Consultation Document] more accessible to employees, who have important rights and obligations under these pieces of legislation."

The consultation period ends 1 February 2002; anyone wishing to comment on the proposals should write to: Jason Cole, Safety Policy Directorate B1, Health & Safety Executive (HSE), 5th Floor, Rose Court, London SE1 9HS.
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