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FPB criticises the HSE

Published On 19 April 2007 at 15:29:54

The Forum of Private Businesses (FPB) has hit out at a new campaign from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which aims to dispel workplace myths.

When the HSE launched a series of cartoons designed to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) fully understand workplace regulation, the FPB said the money could be better spent elsewhere.

"If as much effort went into thinking about the consequences of some of the needless regulations created by the HSE then perhaps the owners of smaller businesses would be able to get through the day without being tied up in red tape," said Victoria Carson, the FPB's campaign manager.

Ms Carson criticised new health and safety regulations which came into effect at the beginning of April. She argued that the Construction, Design, Management regulations put an unfair burden on SMEs carrying out building work on their premises.

The FPB says that the new regulations place the responsibility for safety on the SMEs having work done, rather than with the constructor carrying out the job.

"The Health and Safety Executive has not given due consideration to how these changes will impact on firms having construction work carried out," Ms Carson concluded.

Figures from the British Chamber of Commerce show that red tape has cost UK businesses £55.6 billion since 1998.

 

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