DISCovery

Compulsory involvement of Health & Safety Executive has been abolished

What will change?

The obligation to employ the Health & Safety Executive will be abolished! Every Company will be permitted to organise the prevention and counselling of sickness absence themselves. Companies having less than 10 employees will no longer be obliged to conduct a Risk Inventory and Evaluation in 2005.

You as Employer are obliged to make the necessary agreements with the Works Council. When no agreements have been made, you will continue to be dependent on the Health & Safety Executive.

If you prefer to employ an alternative Health & Safety Organisation, thus no longer wishing to employ the Health & Safety Executive, than you have to ensure that the Health & Safety services are implemented professionally. For instance arrangements must have been made for a Company medical officer to counsel at absenteeism and minimum requirements will be imposed on a person conducting a so-called Risk Inventory and Evaluation.

Companies having less than 10 employees are permitted to use in the future a standard checklist for the Risk Inventory and Evaluation provided that this has been agreed in the labour contract(s). The obligatory test of this document is not required under these conditions.

The Government is aiming to introduce the needed amendment to the law before the end of 2004. As experts, DISC likes to keep you up-to-date of the developments.