HSE Explosives Legislative Review 2010-2012

Posted in Public Items: 17 May 2010, 12:08 by Sara Brown

The Future – Explosives Legislative Review 2010-2012

Explosives legislation has grown over time since the introduction of the Explosives Act 1875. This growth has led to a fragmented set of requirements with multiple sets of Regulations and subsequent amendments. Some sets of Regulations are showing their age and the philosophy behind current European Regulatory requirements can be very different to that behind existing UK legislation.

HSE has initiated a review of all H&S explosives legislation in January 2010, aimed at clarifying and simplifying this legislation. The review aligns with HSE’s strategy aimed at improving H&S performance, for example on accountability and management of risks – “Health and safety leadership is all about accountability. It means taking ownership of risk and accepting responsibility for managing it.” The review will deliver a consolidated and integrated suite of updated legislation and underpinning guidance by April 2012.

Greatest possible involvement of all interested parties will maximise the benefits of the review, such as:

reducing the regulatory burden through clarified and simplified legislation and guidance;
allowing existing outstanding work on explosives legislation to be dealt with more efficiently by co-ordinating it with other work within the review; and
involving the industry and regulators jointly throughout all stages in the development of legislation and guidance which should result in it being fitter-for-purpose.

For full details click here. If you want to participate in the review, please contact the HSE
and include full contact details and a brief summary of your interest in explosives.