The health and safety calendar highlights key dates for proposed and existing legislation and policy and closing dates for consultation papers relating to major health and safety issues in the UK and EU.
It will provide a useful tool for health and safety managers tracking new legislation to control risks and improve performance through a health and safety management system such as OHSAS 18001.
Developments for August include:
- The Radioactive Contaminated Land (Modification of Enactments)(England) Regulations 2006 come into force on 4th August. These regulations extend the existing contaminated land regime to require the identification and remediation of radioactive contaminated land (except where the operator of a nuclear installation is liable under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 or in related circumstances). These Regulations also transpose Articles 48 and 53 of Council Directive 1996/29/Euratom laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation.
- The medical and scientific evidence of the risks to health from exposure to secondhand smoke is well established. The Health Bill, currently before Parliament, includes legislative provisions to make virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces smoke free. If approved by Parliament, the Government plans to implement smoke free legislation in summer 2007. The Department of Health has recently launched a Consultation on these issues and invites views on the proposed plans. The Consultation will include questions on a range of matters, including:
- no-smoking signs
- enforcement, including the question of which local authorities should be enforcement authorities
- exemptions
- smoke-free vehicles.
The deadline for responding to the Consultation is 9th October 2006.
To view the latest monthly update of the calendar, please click here.
This article was written for Law-Now, CMS Cameron McKenna's free online information service. To register for Law-Now, please go to www.law-now.com/law-now/mondaq
Law-Now information is for general purposes and guidance only. The information and opinions expressed in all Law-Now articles are not necessarily comprehensive and do not purport to give professional or legal advice. All Law-Now information relates to circumstances prevailing at the date of its original publication and may not have been updated to reflect subsequent developments.
The original publication date for this article was 04/08/2006.