Health and safety 'undermined'

Shifts in health and safety policy over the past decade have compromised workplace safety, according to a report by University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University. The authors claim their findings cast doubt on public perceptions that health and safety has 'gone mad'.
The report, 'Regulatory Surrender: death, injury and the non-enforcement of law', pointed to policy changes which have affected the ability of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to enforce health and safety law. Researchers found business premises inspections had fallen by 69% over the period, while investigations of health and safety incidents had declined by 68%. The report also found a 48% reduction in prosecutions of companies who had breached HSE regulations.
The Government recently announced a wide-ranging review of health and safety laws in response to claims that UK industry had been 'saturated' by legislation under the Labour government. Researchers at Liverpool, however, found that the HSE's power to inspect and enforce health and safety regulations has been reduced, resulting in increased numbers of employees at risk from accident or injury at work.
Dr David Whyte, Reader in Sociology at the University of Liverpool, said: "The idea that health and safety has 'gone mad' does not seem to hold true. The collapse in inspection, investigation and enforcement has dramatically reduced the chances of businesses being detected and prosecuted for committing safety offences. Most serious injuries now are not even investigated."