Posted By CHRISTOPHER HAYWARD Sorry, but i have been working away this week. What new roles? Could someone post a link please? Many thanks (somewhat lazily) Chris

Posted By Lawrence Waterman The Press Rlease is posted on this site on the News Centre page, and read: Following the announcement in the Budget by the Chancellor Gordon Brown that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is to be expanded to take on an additional four inspectorate and regulatory functions, IOSH's (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health's) President, Lawrence Waterman commented: "The fact that the HSE has been accepted as one of the seven core regulators is effectively an endorsement of its role and work from the highest level. "There is logic to the HSE taking on the four extra inspectorate roles, but it will be necessary to ensure that adequate resources for the expanded role are provided. IOSH would be bitterly opposed to any move that took resources away from regulation in the workplace. "We also welcome the greater penalties that are being made available to the courts, and the new methods of administrative penalty and restitutive justice. For too many years, the penalties have not fitted the crime and we hope that the courts will make use of the new, tougher sentencing options now at their disposal." If I need to justify this statement - the announcement which identified HSE as one of the core regulators is welcome, but of course the changes mean HSE taking on new functions that were previously separate. Inspecting activity centres (introduced after the Lyme Bay tragedy) and Gangmaster Licensing (after Morecambe Bay) are about regulating matters of health and safety that combine public and workplace. There are always people who like to criticise but efficiency, reducing red tape and endorsing the importance of health and safety all form part of what has happened and I make no apology for welcoming it. My concern was that as this happens, we shall need to keep a close watch on the resources HSE has avilable to do its core job. Finally, anyone who thinks that IOSH is still slavishly supporting HSE is mistaken, and our statement went out before HSE itself responded - we think for ourselves!