Targeted enforcement



Enforcement resources are now targeted at the most “hazardous” workplaces. However, unions and safety campaigners say 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 there would be a “light-touch” approach 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.