April 2024 - Compliance update

Welcome to the 12th edition of “SHEQ Insights,” your trusted source of insights into Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Management, and now has a readership of 232 subscribers, including managing directors, industry professionals, and those in search of SHEQ best practices.

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What's New in April 2024?

This year, we celebrate the golden jubilee of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA), a cornerstone of health, safety, and welfare responsibilities in the UK workplace. This legislation has been a guiding force since its inception on July 31, 1974, with a primary aim to ensure a safe working environment. A simple principle, ‘If you create a risk in the workplace, it is your job to manage it, as much as ‘reasonably practicable’.

The term ‘reasonably practicable’ is not just a phrase, but a fundamental aspect of UK health and safety law. It will play a significant role in the upcoming Martyn’s Law. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn’s Law, has just completed its consultation period on March 18 and is expected to be formally introduced to Parliament this spring.

As 2024 is likely to be a general election year, we may see a mix of vote-winning announcements and a pause on current policies and decisions. If the election results in a change in government, we could witness a significant shift in policies, including those on environmental health and safety issues.

April 2024 marks a significant month for building safety regulations. The registration requirements for building control inspectors and approvers will come into effect, and the operational standards rules introduced in April 2023 will become mandatory.

We are also anticipating the official report on the cause of the Grenfell Tower disaster, which sparked the review of building regulations and fire safety. The report is due to be published this year.

Several employment law provisions will also come into effect in April. Employers, it’s time to update or create policies to inform your employees about any new rights and the procedures for requesting/providing them. Line managers also need to be aware of these new rights and any potential sensitivities involved.

Finally, the mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regime came into effect in England on February 12, 2024. This regime aims to ensure that development leaves the natural environment in a measurably better state than before. However, there are concerns that planning departments might not be ready to handle the new rules due to being under-resourced. This could be a hot topic in the run-up to the general election.

For a complete list of what Legislation is changing, and also insight into the most recent Prosecutions, you can find this information within 'Compliance Companion', a Newsletter I am writing for A.C.T. (National) Ltd which will be available from the 1st April 2024 here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7170708909563830272

As always, Stay safe and Stay Informed

John Garnett-Turner, FCMI, Cert(HE) Law, TechIOSH

IOSH Future Leader