8. PHYSICAL HAZARDS AT WORK

Changes and developments since last year

• the European Commission is now expected to bring forward a European Recommendation on MSDs rather than a new Directive. This would have no binding effect on Member States, although there would be an expectation that they will take action to apply its principles and content. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that it is expecting the Commission to consult on a draft text with the aim of the Council adopting a final recommendation later this year, but this is still awaited;

• a new report warns that a lack of positive support for people with MSDs in work is leaving hundreds of thousands at risk of lost earnings, reduced productive working time and early retirement, with an accompanying strain on both household incomes and the UK welfare system;

• a new European directive on workers’ exposure to electromagnetic fields has been published and member states have until 1 July 2016 to introduce legislation to transpose the new provisions;

• the HSE has published revised guidance on portable (electrical equipment) appliance testing (PAT) following a recommendation in the Löfstedt review of health and safety regulations (see Chapter 12); and

• following a further recommendation in the Löfstedt review the HSE began consulting on its proposals to consolidate two ACOPs on gas safety into a single revised ACOP (L56) to be published by the end of 2013.