Out thoughts on Professor Löfstedt’s comments on Portable Appliance Testing and Working at Height recommendations in his recent report to Government:
The requirement for portable appliance testing should be further clarified by April 2012 to stop over-compliance.
At last! We have been suggesting for some time now that, as a society, we have become over-reliant on Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) when it comes to assessing the safety of portable electrical equipment.
The fact is that the majority of defects on electrical equipment can be detected by a simple visual inspection.
We welcome clarification regarding PAT, which will save most businesses time and money.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the associated guidance should be reviewed by April 2013 to ensure that they do not lead to people going beyond what is either proportionate or beyond what the legislation was originally intended to cover.
A good example of EU recommendations being “gold plated” during implementation in the UK, which have resulted in widespread mis-interpretation. (e.g ladders and stepladders being banned by some organisations).
Whilst we accept that falls from height continue to be one of the biggest causes of serious injuries and fatalities at work, we welcome a review of the Work at Height Regulations, and clarification of “reasonably practicable” in this area.
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