Health and safety laws to be cut

Up to half the current number of laws designed to protect people from danger are to be abolished, under plans by the Prime Minister to “kill of the health and safety culture for good”. David Cameron says adhering to health and safety legislation costs companies billions of pounds a year and is like “an albatross around the neck of British businesses”. He said the Health and Safety Executive has now been asked to accelerate the abolition (or consolidation) of around half the number of regulations, which cover problems such as dangerous workplaces. Mr Cameron said he also wants to limit the amount of money lawyers can be paid in small-value personal injury cases brought by workers against their employers. Addressing representatives of small companies in Maidenhead, Berkshire, he admitted that 2012 will be “a difficult year” for businesses but insisted that the Government will not “stand back” from scrapping such legislation. He told the audience: “It’s a year when the Government’s going to roll up its sleeves and ask: What can we do to help business, to help consumers, to help our economy get moving and to help our economy provide jobs for young people?” Laura Thompson, Solicitor in IBB’s Personal Injury team, comments: “The Prime Minister’s suggestion here is of an extension of the claims process implemented in 2010 in respect of low-value claims arising from Road Traffic Accidents. Despite this being implemented almost two years ago, there remain a number of issues with this process, in particular with the IT systems in place to deal with such claims. “If the system to be developed is funded by all employers’ liability insurers in the same way as that applicable to road traffic accidents, it is likely to be at considerably greater a cost on the basis that the issues involved in such cases vary widely. The system would need to account for several eventualities, otherwise the majority of cases could fall out of the process and make the enterprise a fruitless one. “It would be far too early to consider developing a similar process for other claims at this stage while so many issues remain in that which already exists.” IBB Solicitors has built a reputation for quality of service in pursuing compensation in cases involving accident, illness or death, including accidents at work. If you would like advice on personal injury issues, contact a member of IBB’s Personal Injury team: call us on 08456 381381 or email pi@ibblaw.co.uk.