Directors Duties, "Revitalising" Commitments

In June 2000, the Government published a strategy document called 'Revitalising Health and Safety'.

To read more about this document and the prior consultation, Click Here

Action Point 11 of this document states:

The Health and Safety Commission will develop a code of practice on Directors' responsibilities for health and safety, in conjunction with stakeholders. It is intended that the code of practice will, in particular, stipulate that organisations should appoint an individual Director for health and safety, or responsible person of similar status (for example in organisations where there is no board of Directors).

The Health and Safety Commission will also advise Ministers on how the law would need to be changed to make these responsibilities statutory so that Directors and responsible persons of similar status are clear about what is expected of them in their management of health and safety. It is the intention of Ministers, when Parliamentary time allows, to introduce legislation on these responsibilities." (emphasis added)

To see the full section relating to Directors Duties, click here

In response to this the HSC only considred the first paragraph and not the second. It drafted voluntary guidance, and then evaluated it success