In February 2016, the Health and Safety Executive announced that a series of changes had been made to health and safety law in the workplace. The new rules are mainly directed at business owners who fail to enforce the applicable health and safety standards in the workplace, and therefore have the objective of ensuring compliance across the board. In this post we take a look at the ins and outs of the new rules and at how business owners can ensure they comply with them and avoid penalties.
What do the recent HSE changes entail?
The main thing to note about the recent changes made to health and safety law is that offences and lack of compliance will now attract tougher fines. The objective is to offer higher protection levels to both employees and the general public, while ensuring that employers take their duty of care more seriously and that business owners use a consistent approach to risk management. Under the new rules, if a business is found guilty of corporate manslaughter, it can be fined with up to £20 million, whereas other serious (but not fatal) offences can attract fines of up to £10 million. Lack of compliance resulting in bodily harm can also be punished with imprisonment, and in some cases even continued exposure to risk could result in a prison sentence, irrespective of whether bodily harm was caused or not. Prison terms range between 26 weeks and 2 years depending on how the offence is categorised.
Offences related to food safety and hygiene will be punished with tougher fines too, starting at £100 and going up to £3 million. This type of offences will also be triable and could result in prison terms of up to 2 years. It has also been suggested that heavier fines (of up to £100 million) could be applied to large companies who fail to comply and whose annual turnover exceeds £50 million.
2016 is set to bring about important changes in workplaces around the world. This article summarises the most important trends expected to be implemented across the workplace.
The Worcester Growth Corridor is a planned commercial and industrial development that will serve as a gateway for the city. Currently in early stages in development, the new economic corridor will focus on the manufacturing sector with the goal of supporting and attracting technology-rich manufacturing companies. The corridor will tap into local skills in information technology (IT), defence and cyber sectors. The development will also help position the city as a first rate Cathedral City, furthering Worcester’s role as a centre for business, commerce and shopping.
Office Vacancy Rates 2016
For employers all over the United Kingdom, the run up to Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year. Meeting tight deadlines, fulfilling large orders, launching seasonal promotions, and running the workplace while some staff are on leave are among the most common concerns for office-based employers. In addition, this is also a time to reward your team for their great performance and dedication, whether that means treating them to a nice office lunch or dinner or giving out Christmas bonuses or gifts. However, some of these actions may have tax repercussions. Here’s a quick guide to enjoying a (mostly) tax-free Christmas in your workplace.
According to an official report from the UK government, the Welsh economy has been growing at a fast pace since 2012 and has in fact overshadowed other UK regions in terms of job gains and GVA growth. However, several analysts have pointed out that economic growth rates in many areas of Wales still lag behind the national average. This is particularly true in rural areas that formerly relied on the primary sector as the main source of income, and at regional level the total GVA remains at 72 per cent of the UK average. Training programmes, job creation strategies, and important infrastructure improvements have been carried out over the past decade with the objective of making Wales an attractive business destination supported by a flourishing and strong economic base.
Nottingham’s MediPark will help boost the city of Nottingham’s position as a place for medical discoveries and support it as a designated Science City. The project will also help bring together life sciences and technology companies to create a new place to innovate.
The Impact of Office Environments on Employees