Targeted enforcement



Enforcement resources are now targeted at the most “hazardous” workplaces. However, unions and safety campaigners have expressed concern that particular sectors have been identified as “low risk” (and so in no need of proactive inspection) without any obvious reason.



The Department for Work and Pensions reported in 2014 that “major hazard” industries would continue to be regulated at a high level and will continue to be subject to unannounced inspection, although a “light-touch” approach is to be adopted for “responsible businesses” that “do the right thing”. Examples given of “major hazard” industries are construction, waste, recycling and certain areas of high-risk manufacturing, for example molten and base metal manufacture.