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Written by
on 29 October 2012

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The Health and Safety Executive are giving the self-employed an opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns over health and safety laws.  The consultation was decided upon after proposals were created in response to the recommendations that were given through the report from Professor Lofstedt.  In his report he stated that all of those who are self-employed that work in a way so as not to cause any harm or risk to others should be exempt from the health and safety laws.

Health and Safety Self Employed

The consultations opened on August 2 and will be closing on October 28 so there is very little time left to have your say.  The responses will be placed in the Health and Safety Executive’s Knowledge Centre once the consultation comes to an end where they can be viewed by the public. It is possible to keep your response private; however you will need to provide a reason and it’s worth remembering that the reason might not be considered valid. This means there is no assurance over the confidentiality of your response.

What’s On the Form?

You will be asked for your personal information along with details about your self-employment. From there you are asked a series of questions including how much time you out into researching and understanding your legal health and safety duties when you started up your business and whether the exemptions would lead to people changing their behaviour. There is plenty of space to fill in details to support your opinions or to explain your answers further.

The reforms would not include all of those who are self-employed. You may be in a business that could cause risks to others and therefore you would still need to comply with the laws. Many self-employed individuals do not consider health and safety laws and it can lead to legal problems later down the line simply because responsibilities and duties were not researched.

Health and Safety Services

If you have not yet investigated the laws, health and safety consultants can help you to get on top of what is expected from you. One of the best ways to start is by undertaking some form of health and safety training. There are many different courses provided, all of which are recognised and provide you with a qualification that could help to show you are in compliance with the law.

Training is one of the health and safety services that could be of huge benefit to the self-employed. You can learn about what you need to know as an employer and a business owner. Some of the most suitable courses to consider are provided by the IOSH and NEBOSH and can be taken at any time of the year at suitable locations based upon your geographic position.

If you would like to find out more about the health and safety services we have available please contact us on 0800 1488 677.

About 

A chartered (fellow) safety and risk management practitioner with 20+ years of experience. David provides a healthy dose of how-to articles, advice and guidance to make compliance easier for construction professionals, Architects and the built environment. Get social with David on Twitter and Linkedin.

A chartered (fellow) safety and risk management practitioner with 20+ years of experience. David provides a healthy dose of how-to articles, advice and guidance to make compliance easier for construction professionals, Architects and the built environment. Get social with David on Twitter and Linkedin.

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