First Aid News from Safety 1st

Proposed changes to HSE approval - Lofstedt Review

As part of the Government’s plans to reform Britain’s health and safety system, the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Minister for Employment, the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, commissioned an independent review of health and safety legislation.

On first aid, the Lofstedt Review stated:

• HSE removal from Approval and Monitoring (but to retain a certain standard of Training and Qualifications in order to Maintain Standards).
• Revised Guidance (suitability for different Workplaces).
• Exempt the Self Employed from Health and Safety Law.
• Review ACOPS.

HSE will be removing themselves from the Approval and Monitoring process and will be reviewing the guidance and ACOP in relation to First Aid. HSE have confirmed that pressure is on them from Ministers to make the changes as soon as possible however the earliest possible date would be October 2012 with a more likely date of April 2013. A public consultation document (with a minimum consultation period of 6 weeks) will now be produced by HSE sometime in the summer of 2012.

More information to follow from the HSE website.