More than 9,000 back IOSH petition to save crucial safety guidance

More than 9,000 people have signed an IOSH petition calling on the government to abandon plans to scrap health and safety guidance that helps protect employers against prosecution.
Employers can cite compliance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) as a benchmark of good practice.
However, the government plans to replace ACoP with non-approved guidance that would not be recognised by the courts in the same way.
IOSH president Gerard Hand said: "Employers rely on the authoritative 'special legal' status and assurance of the ACoP to ensure they are legally compliant. Removal could cause confusion and uncertainty."
Replacing the ACoP with non-approved guidance would not provide the same authority, assurance or convenience as a single reference, IOSH added.
The changes were not called for by either Lord Young or Professor Löfstedt in their high profile safety reviews, IOSH stressed.
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