The Löfstedt Review – What does it mean for you?

What is the Löfstedt’s review?

The eagerly awaited results of Professor Löfstedt’s review of health and safety legislation were published in November 2011.  The focus of the review was the 200 or so Regulations and the 53 Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs) owned by the Health and Safety Executive.  The review was commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions as part of the Government’s plan to reduce the perceived burden health and safety legislation places on businesses.

Health and safety legislation is not about complex rules, regulations and red tape; it exists to make workplaces safe and healthy and prevent people being injured or made ill by their work.  This is why the review was welcomed by health and safety experts.

What are the main outcomes?

In his report, Professor Löfstedt concluded that:

 The problem lies less with the regulations themselves and more with the way they are interpreted and applied.

He went on to say that:

In some cases this is caused by inconsistent enforcement by regulators and in others by the influences of third parties that promote the generation of unnecessary paperwork and a focus on health and safety activities that go above and beyond the regulatory requirements.

He made a number of key recommendations to:

• simplify and streamline the stock of regulations
• focus enforcement on higher risk businesses
• clarify requirements
• rebalance the civil litigation system.

His recommendations have been accepted by the Government.
The full report is available on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website.

What does it mean for you?

According to Professor Löfstedt, one of the biggest problems is that regulatory requirements are misunderstood and applied inappropriately.

This is a problem that we see first-hand during our work as health and safety consultants:

• When we started reviewing risk assessments for one of our engineering clients, we found risk assessments for making coffee and using the telephone.
• We have seen so many assessments for using Tippex and photocopier toner.

Risk assessments need to be done and documented to meet legal requirements but they should focus on the real risks that could cause harm to people; insignificant risks from everyday life do not need to be included.

We also regularly encounter businesses who misunderstand what legislation requires.  For example, one of our clients in the retail sector banned the use of ladders, thinking that this was what the Work at Height Regulations required.  Instead, they relied on staff standing on tiptoes, stretching and twisting to reach items on higher shelves; all of which increased the risk of an injury.

Such poor management of health and safety does not make good business sense; it could lead to:

• unnecessary bureaucracy and paperwork
• an increase in accidents and ill health
• an increase in absences and sick leave
• a high staff turnover
• damage to your organisation’s reputation
• reduced productivity and profits
• an increase in insurance premiums and legal costs.

If you are unsure about your legal requirements and what they mean in practice, you should seek advice. 

You can get help from your in-house team, from a professional outside your organisation, or a combination of both.  What is important is that the people helping you have the relevant knowledge, skills and experience to help ensure that health and safety is appropriately managed.

Can we help?

At System Concepts, we believe that health and safety is not a burden, but a way to improve productivity and morale, reduce costs and improve business performance.  We offer:

• A co-ordinated, integrated approach - we are experienced in all areas of risk management and have specialists in ergonomics, accessibility, systems and interface design as well as the traditional areas of health and safety.
• Competent, practical, cost-effective advice - based on scientifically collected evidence, expert analysis and years of experience. 
• Best practice - we keep up with the latest standards and guidelines, including any changes resulting from the Löfstedt review, so you get the most up-to-date advice to improve your business performance.

For more information about how we can work together and provide you with competent, practical and tailor-made health and safety advice please contact us.