HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLBEING
POST-BREXIT: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Gary Escott, Co-founder of SiteZone Safety, shares his thoughts about the effects of Brexit and maintaining high standards of health and safety practice in the UK beyond the end of the year.
Brexit is the buzzword of our times right now. Our parting from the EU has been the topic of conversation by tea stations, over dinner tables, conference rooms, pubs – peaceably or not, it’s on everyone’s lips. But one thing is for certain, we are not really sure what’s going to be affected, and how, as the UK begins a new era outside the EU. After the transition period between the UK and the EU, at the end of 2020, what will the future bring for safety standards?
If it ain’t broke… As someone who has been involved with health and safety technology for around 30 years, my first thought is that there shouldn’t be any major departures from, or changes to, proven successful SHE (Safety, Health and Environmental) good practice or legislation; especially those that have operated as an integrated arrangement with the EU, during our membership. Let’s not dilute what has hitherto been successful health and safety practice.
We can take comfort in UK legislation such as the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 as a primary source of guidance. Most of our notable secondary legislation has been inspired by EU directives; such as the CDM (Construction Design Management) regulations, the Work at Height Regulations and The Control of Noise at Work Regulations – all of which have positively impacted our occupational health and safety culture in the UK.
How stringent will our legislation be? For example, back in 2018 the TUC voiced concerns over continuing to meet standards on protective equipment and machinery after Brexit. Even workplace rights were deemed at risk. One of the most impactful examples quoted, was the future of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals), the ‘agreed chemicals’ regulation. It was the most complex piece of EU legislation adopted – the process took seven years.
After Brexit, the UK government has said that it will create a similar regulatory framework to that of REACH, to continue chemical regulation. However, it looks like chemical importers will have to go through separate processes for the UK and the EU. There is a possibility that UK manufacturers won’t be able sell into the European market and importers will face new registration requirements. However, from a safety point of view, with separate systems, and diverse chemicals being approved, there’s a risk of conflicting advice on risk management and control which may compromise the integrity of chemical supply, management and approvals.
52 | TOMORROW’S FM
There is some assurance by the UK government that what has proven to work in the past, will be adopted in future. The UK’s European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, plans to incorporate all EU legislation into UK law, to create a seamless transition. So we might take comfort in that declaration.
Uncertain times and slowing investment Perhaps one of the immediate Brexit threats to health and safety in the corporate landscape is investment. All of the aforementioned highlights the prevalence of ‘uncertainty’ and of course, businesses are trying to manage the risks associated with the unknown elements of the Brexit landscape.
A big part of that will be curbing spending until it is clear how the economy is going to perform. If organisations lose confidence in their business, there’s pressure put on the bottom line, so they focus on their highest priorities, rather than investing continuously in health and safety policies.
A lot depends on how the government chooses to spend its funds; if it’s on infrastructure for example, that’s good for businesses like mine, that provide safety solutions in high risk industries like construction. It is also exciting in terms of opportunity and will more than likely inform technology evolution and changes. If this doesn’t happen, then a significant route to business is compromised.
As a business owner myself, Brexit has been synonymous with risk management. But because we are passionate about what we do, which is to keep people safe and alive while they are working, consistent quality in safety practice is even more important. Safety (and health) professionals who have worked so hard to improve standards must be wondering collectively, just as I am, what the future holds.
www.proximitywarning.com/
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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