Fire safety and gangmaster laws in force

News | HSW
01.11.2006

Several sets of much-anticipated safety and employment regulations came into force on 1 October, the second of the government's two annual "common commencement" dates.

Legislation that takes effect this month includes: the long-awaited Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005; some licensing provisions under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004; and the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which prohibit discrimination against employees on the grounds of age.

On 1 October it became illegal for gangmasters operating in the agriculture and food processing and packaging sectors to operate without a licence.

Gangmasters in the shellfish-gathering sector can now apply for licences and it will be illegal to operate without a licence in this sector from April 2007. More information is available from the Gangmasters Licensing Authority website at www.gla.gov.uk

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, which had been due to take effect in April, requires the "responsible person" in any organisation - that is, the employer, owner or occupier - to carry out fire risk assessments and implement appropriate control measures.

It abolishes fire certificates and puts increased emphasis on fire prevention. For more information, see HSW August/September, page 15, and the Department for Communities and Local Government at www.communities.gov.uk

Last year the HSE committed itself to implementing legislation on only two dates each year - 6 April (the start of the tax year) and 1 October - in order to simplify the legislative timetable for small and medium-sized businesses and enable employers to better plan for new measures. The HSE says this commitment extends to the implementation of European directives as far as possible.

The full text of the new legislation is available at www.opsi.gov.uk

More information on legislation due to take effect on 6 April and 1 October 2007 commencement dates can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/regulations/index.htm