HSE launches regulation pack

A new legislative package - The Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996, which is due to come into force on 2 September, was launched by the Health and Safety Executive last week.

The legislation updates three sets of 1960s' construction regulations. The new regulations apply to all sites, including those not covered by the CDM Regulations. Most of the regulations clarify and update the 1960s regulations, but in an easier to understand form.

Three new areas of concern have been introduced, covering traffic routes on construction sites, prevention and control of site emergencies, and further clarification on welfare provision. The update reduces the current regulations from about 100 to 30.

Stuart Nattrass, chief inspector of construction at the HSE, said: "The majority of these Regulations clarify well known duties and it will remain business as usual. Therefore there is no need for industry to see them as something new."

The emphasis of the new regulations is to firmly place duties on those who create risk. This more adaptable approach replaces many of the prescriptive details in the schedules (of the 90 measurements in the original regulations only five are left).

Under the new regulations whoever is in charge of a site must be responsible for health and safety. This ensures that managers are responsible for people they do not directly employ. A new guide to the regulations is available from the HSE.