1. The structure of health and safety law

Changes and developments since last year

• following a public consultation by the HSE, the Deregulation Bill 2013-2014 proposes to exclude all the self-employed from health and safety regulation apart from those on a prescribed list. At the time that this booklet went to press, the Deregulation Bill was being considered by Parliament, with the Committee stage scheduled for October 2014;

• the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) were amended on 1 October 2013 to simplify the reporting requirements in certain types of incident at work;

• the Dangerous Dogs Act 2013 has been amended to include new powers to prosecute the owners of dangerous dogs on private property and also gives local authorities powers to act early and prevent dog attacks;

• the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 were amended on 1 October 2013 to remove the requirement for the HSE to approve first aid training and qualifications, and its Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) has been withdrawn and replaced with tailored guidance;

• an updated version of the Health and Safety poster had to be in place at all workplaces by 5 April 2014 to comply with the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations. As with the existing law, employers can choose between displaying the poster in an accessible place or providing a pocket card sized version that can be distributed to employees individually;

• the HSE is consulting on proposals to revise, consolidate or withdraw and make minor revisions (or no changes) to 15 ACOPs by the end of 2014 (see page 20). Some of these have already been withdrawn or revised, in particular the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations ACOP (see page 36); and

• the TUC made a renewed call for action for a positive legal duty on directors to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees in its 10-point health and safety manifesto: Health and safety time for change: Directors duties — the need for action.