UK retains working time opt-out

Will the news that the UK can keep its opt-out from the EU's 48-hour working limit make any difference to your company's policy?

Vote in this week's opinion poll. Results will be published in next week's e-newsletter.

New Year

We recently ran a poll on HSP on the MEPs' vote to scrap the working time opt-out and the results were interesting. A record number of you voted, with the majority siding with Gordon Brown in that you don't want to see it abolished in the UK.

In the current economic climate, many of us are worried about our jobs. We are currently running a poll on job security, asking how many health and safety professionals believe their jobs are safe this year. Tell us if you think yours is by voting in this week's poll.

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A waste of money?

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has just published a report which states low-risk businesses are basically wasting their money bringing in consultants.

BERR says low-risk businesses could save £140 million a year if 20% sought basic health and safety advice from the HSE and other government sources rather than buying in consultancy.

According to the report, the average company spends 20 hours a year on administration to comply with health and safety regulations, costing more than £350. Do you think it's too much? Tell us in our opinion poll.

Lastly, do you believe low-risk firms are wasting money? Or are you a consultant? What do you have to say about the report? Discuss here.

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IIRSM teleconference

This Friday we will be holding our second teleconference - giving IIRSM members the chance to discuss hot topics in industry.

The Government published a report today, detailing the progress made so far on preparing for the extension of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act to cover deaths in custody. So that's certainly one subject we'll be discussing.

The teleconference will be posted in the discussion forums on www.healthandsafetyprofessional.co.uk, so make sure you visit the forums next week to see how the debate went.

We want your opinions!

Here at HealthandSafetyProfessional.co.uk we always listen to our readers - and now we have given you the opportunity to tell us what you think about all things health and safety with our new weekly opinion polls.

This week, we are asking if you think it is worthwhile for the HSE to pursue prosecutions of firms in liquidation where there is evidence of serious safety breaches. The question was borne out of the recent prosecution of North West Aerosols, which was fined a measly £2 for the death of a worker because the company's directors put the firm into voluntary liquidation four months after the incident.

Tell us what you think by visiting http://www.healthandsafetyprofessional.co.uk/

Definitely NOT an April fool

Pinch, punch, first day of the month...and it's April Fools Day to boot. But one statistic that quite clearly is not a joke is the recent IIRSM poll. A huge 44 per cent of IIRSM members who voted in last month's opinion poll do not think the new Corporate Manslaughter Act, due to come into force next week, will improve safety. What do you think? Let us know in our discussion forums at www.healthandsafetyprofessional.co.uk