Britain's OSHA Will Beat Cost-Cutting Goal
The Health and Safety Executive's fourth annual Simplification Plan shows it expects to reach 499.1 million pounds in administrative burden reductions by year-end and 527.3 million pounds by May 2010 against a target of 505.6 million pounds.
The Health and Safety Executive's fourth annual Simplification Plan shows it expects to reach 499.1 million pounds in administrative burden reductions by year-end and 527.3 million pounds by May 2010 against a target of 505.6 million pounds. The agency is one of the UK governmental departments committed to reducing administrative burdens by 25 percent from their 2005 baseline levels, and the agency says this is being done without reducing safety and health protections.
As of May 2009, HSE had achieved an estimated 382 million pounds, 75.6 percent of the goal. It says the estimated 499.1 million reduction (99 percent) by the end of this year "includes estimated savings that have not been validated and which may be subject to change or revision."
The baseline calculation was that the annual cost of administrative burdens from health and safety legislation amounted to 2.03 billion pounds, or about $3.26 billion. By May 2010, the agency hopes to be about 22 million pounds ($35 million) ahead of the target.
The agency's executive summary shows some of the gains have been accomplished by delivering new guidance documents, and some have come through eliminating required forms and compliance obligations. Forms for commencing a construction project now are less burdensome and may be completed online.