Any new or changes to health and safety law are issued on 6 April and 1 October each year.
The following table outlines the changes due in October 2014 (plus some relevant changes from earlier this year), and summarises the likely impact on
work at UCL.
Ref: Lead Dept Legislation HSE Title of Measure Purpose of Measure
Date the measure is due to come in force Health and Safety Law Poster The 2009 version should be displayed no later than the 5 April 2014; this change comes as the five year transition period the HSE gave to replace the poster draws to an end. 05/04/2014 HSE0075 HSE Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 To implement the Sharps Directive (2010/32/EU) concerned with preventing injuries from medical sharps and applies to work in the hospital and healthcare sector. 01/05/2014 HSE0074 HSE Amendment to Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations1981 Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 To remove the requirement for HSE to approve training providers and qualifications of appointed first‐aid personnel. To simplify and consolidate petroleum storage legislation to help business and the public understand what the law requires while maintaining health and safety standards. To simplify and consolidate Genetically Modified (Contained Use) Regulations with administrative benefits to business as a result of the regulations being clearer and easier to interpret following consolidation while maintaining health and safety standards. To consolidate and modernise explosives legislation and simplify current requirements. This will significantly reduce the time taken to understand what the law requires while maintaining health and safety standards. To consolidate and modernise the legislative controls for acetylene which will help people to understand what the law requires. 1/10/2014 HSE0085 HSE HSE0086 HSE Genetically Modified Organisms Legislation (Contained Use) (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 HSE0083 HSE Explosives Regulations 2014 HSE0083 HSE Acetylene Safety (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2014 01/10/2014 Impact
Changes required: Contact has already been made with departments to ensure that they are displaying the correct version of the poster (see http://www.ucl.ac.uk/estates/safetynet/guidance/manage
ment/poster.pdf). Minimal impact: Duties in the Sharps Regulations only apply if you on the premises of or working under the management and supervision of the healthcare employer; UCL staff working in/for NHS premises will therefore need to follow any guidance issued by Trusts No direct impact: UCL Safety Services will ensure any new trainers/assessors are competent No direct impact ‐ The regulations do not change existing health and safety responsibilities but replace the licensing regime with a certification scheme. 01/10/2014 Minimal impact – The UCL Biological Safety Adviser will communicate any changes necessary direct to those undertaking work with GMOs. 0110/2014 No impact ‐ UCL does not store explosives. 01/10/2014 Minimal impact ‐ Key changes in the acetylene safety regulations include removing the requirement to seek HSE approval for certain acetylene equipment provided it complies with current recognised standards. Ref: Lead Dept Title of Measure Approved Codes of Practice and guidance HSE L143 ‐ Managing and working with asbestos. HSE HSG 65 ‐ Revised managing for health and safety guidance. HSE L138 ‐ DSEAR
HSE L5 ‐ COSSH ACOP HSE Legionnaires’ disease Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) (L8) HSE Working at Height Regulations 2005
Purpose of Measure
Date the measure is due to come in force The Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) L127 (The management of asbestos in non‐domestic premises) and L143 (Work with materials containing asbestos) have been consolidated into one single revised ACOP – L143 Managing and working with asbestos. The Health and Safety Executive has published the revised version of its popular HSG65 guidance, filling the gap left by the withdrawal of the Management Regulations ACOP. The new document, with the series code L138, incorporates what were previously five ACOPs – four of which have now been withdrawn – and covers issues from plant design and operation, through to maintenance. December 2013 The main changes to the COSSH ACOP, released on 3 December, includes updating the material supporting regulations 7, 9, 10 and 11 to take account of legislative changes, such as the Regulations for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP). Health and safety information on managing and controlling legionella bacteria in water systems has been updated and clarified. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revised the Legionnaires’ disease Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) (L8), removing the technical guidance which has been published separately online. The HSE is revamping its guidance on working at height, updating advice for such activity, setting out in plain terms what to do. Impact
Minimal impact: the majority of the changes to the ACoPs/guidance have been to L143 has been to clarify, simplify and streamline the information to help the reader.