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 December include:

  • It has been announced that The Health Act provisions relating to smoke free workplaces are to be implemented by 1st July 2007. The result will be that nearly all enclosed public places and workplaces will become smoke free environments by this date, so affecting pubs, restaurants, public transport and offices. Even smoking rooms will be prohibited under the provisions of the Act meaning that smokers will now have to go outside for a cigarette. Regulations concerning implementation of the new measures are due to be put before Parliament shortly.
  • A REACH reform deal tabled by the Finnish Presidency was accepted at an emergency trialogue meeting on 30th November 2006. The full details of this deal are not yet known, however they include tougher rules on substituting very high concern chemicals.

Other points agreed at the meeting were that authorisation review times will be agreed on a case by case basis, that all authorisations need to be accompanied by a substitution plan where an alternative exists or an R&D plan where one does not, that the registration period for substances over 1,000 tonnes will be extended to 3 1/2 years and that commercially sensitive data will be kept confidential for 12 years.

Finally, it is also proposed that the commission consider a REACH mark.

  • The Department for Trade and Industry has launched a consultation asking for comments and suggestions on the safety zones around offshore renewable energy installations. The aim of this is to look at the best way in which to implement the provisions of the Energy Act 2004. Draft regulations are set out in the documentation which set out processes for applying to the Secretary of State for a safety zone. This will be of particular importance to wind farms and wave tidal device operators.

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 12/12/2006.