What are the most recent legislation changes to be aware of?

Each year the months of April and October are when the majority of new legislation becomes active. This year, things have been quieter than usual in this aspect given the impact of Brexit and the impending General Election in June. However, there are still certain legal requirements to be aware of.

The Street Works (Qualifications of Operatives and Supervisors) (England) Regulations 2016 came into force on 6 April 2017. These simplify the current requirements for street works qualifications to provide greater flexibility when it comes to renewing them.

The changes won’t affect any existing certificates or street works cards, which will remain valid until their expiry date. The key points to be aware of are:

     – You don’t need to do anything to move to the new system

     – It’s not a requirement to hold any specific combination of (non-key) certificates

     – Certificates can now be tailored to the work an individual does

     – If old style certificates are renewed on a like-for-like basis, then an individual will be reassessed in the same subjects as before

     – Old style certificates will automatically be converted to their new equivalents upon renewal

     – New certificates will have individual expiry dates and there will no longer be a card expiry date

In addition to this, the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocation) Regulations 2017 replaced the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2017. The latter contained drafting errors which have now been corrected, and the new regulations make some minor effects in niche areas in that they:

     – Create a new defense for a person charged with an offence of possessing pesticides harmful to wildlife

     – Make some minor changes to legislation affecting offshore installations, harbour areas and sites designated under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015.

As with all new legislation, it’s important to be aware of the changes and your responsibilities, or you risk being subjected to heavy penalties.

To discuss how Aegis can support you or your organisation with this matter or any other, please call 01772 736 522 or email admin@aegis-services-ltd.co.uk