Regulated Health & Safety Industry

So anyone can set themselves up as a H&S expert?

I thought the whole idea of this beaurocratic red tape minefield was that it was supervised and monitored by people who at least knew what they were talking about

We've had about 4 cold calls recently asking if our electrical appliances were PAT tested as per govt regulations, and our fire extinguisher was in date.

I normally answer that my cats get PAT tested most days, and I'll just throw a big bucket of water over the computers and hope for the best in my rubber boots

Mike - I think you might be turning physic

Nothing like a good rant to cleanse the soul

Indeed, no regulatory control per se. having so said it is not only morally irresponsible to set up in practice and consider oneself an expert, it clearly carries an enormous risk regarding prosecution. poor or simply ignorant/bad advice that leads to an accident or fails to include suitable and sufficient control measures will almost certainly see the individual prosecuted either by the HSE or a LA enforcement inspector...with a myriad of regulations to cite. If one dont do it-another certainly will.

Funny you should mention PAT. There are actually no specific PAT regulations, not a one. However it is HSWA 74 that comes in to play along with PUWER, MHSW regs and the The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 that all place a duty on the RP to ensure that what is used is safe to do so.

I am frequently told that one must PAT every year/month/week (yep, true) & whilst there are guides it comes down to that other old chestnut, a risk assessment. Using power tools on-site in all weathers every day will probably be monthly or 3-monthly. An office printer or other portable appliance could be two-yearly, three or even five yearly depending on use. I have on many an occasion reduced a clients annual spend of PAT from what was initially disproportionate to suitable and perfectly sufficient.

This I suppose works with many areas of H&S, scare tactics by some will often mean a client is spending money of completely unnecessary projects.

To end for now I'll just mention one client who had been advised by a 'consultant' to produce some risk assessments to satisfy the inspector should he/she ever call...(sigh). They ended up with five-hundred. The best being a RA for a broom. It follows;
Identify who is at risk...Fred the sweeper upper.
Anyone else at risk.....Yes, anyone if he got a splinter and jumped out into the path of a FLT
Hazard....handle
Risk....getting splinters
Current control measures....strap up splintery handle with gaffer tape to protect user from splinters.
Consequences & Likelihood from a quantitative prospective..Oh this is good DEATH from blood poisoning

They had no idea what they needed to do. Clearly that one got screwed up and shredded along with around 475 others, leaving 25 quality assessments that would benefit those that they affected..not to satisfy an inspector if he called. By eliminating many of the so called control measures we were able to make the company not only safer, but far more profitable.

Oh the broom I hear you ask...how did I get round that handle then? Just bought a box of new handles for about a tenner for ol Fred and convinced them he didn't need any major training on how to change it.

Mike

Right thats it, forget Brown and Cameron, I'm voting for Mike!

At the very least, he can replace "Mandy"

Now I have actually had quite a few emails via my website on this blog entry which I included here on MLF.

To set the record straight. The world of workplace safety or occupational safety, is indeed regulated by the HSE, this much just about everyone knows. As a Chartered Practitioner I am also regulated by my professional institution...IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety & Health). This means like many other Chartered bodies I follow a strict code of conduct.

Now then; setting this aside for a moment. What I was trying to get at, and perhaps I may have mislead (unintentionally) is that anyone, I mean anyone can set themselves up as a 'competent' H&S adviser. I believe the same is true of HR (no doubt our newest member in this field will confirm).

So, if Joe Bloggs who once did some 'elf-n-safety' at work gets made redundant and decides to charge him/herself out at

To the uninitiated (me), what's the difference between the HSE and the IOSH?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have a single regulatory body, that everyone within your industry must sign upto/be licensened, as a legal requirement? Or is the HSE a large bumbling govt framework, where the IOSH specialises in the granualar detail?

If I set myself up as a fly by night unregistered H&S consultant, does the IOSH have any juristiction or clout to escalate to the HSE? Or is it a simple case I'll only get prosecuted after I've killed someone from poor advice?

It does seem to be a confusing area, especially for small business owners, who are prob more likely to fall prey to unchartered and dodgy operators

I suppose it can be a bit confusing Steve. No more perhaps than say Building Regulations and needing a Chartered member of RICS to do your representing for you.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a non-departmental public body which has statutory responsibility in Great Britain for securing the health and safety of workers and protecting the general public from work-related risks. HSE

Got you, so (over simplified) you would be prosecuted under the HSE, but would adhere to professional standards set by the IOSH.

As you've gone out of your way to become chartered, maybe sing about it on your site? It does say it on your home page, but you need to scroll down. maybe you could have a IOSH logo at the top, bigging yourself up?

Maybe a "Is your H&S man chartered?" Could use it as a selling point!

Just an idea, I'm full of 'em, I'll shut up now

Twood be good if I could use their logo. Not permitted unless i am a provider of IOSH training courses (fee payable of course). Maybe in time but not right now. Training is a big pay-day for many practitioners, but for now i am enjoying consultancy work.

Mike