Could be good news for scrapyards etc

Health and safety inspections cut in anti-red tape drive


Plans to exempt thousands of businesses from health and safety inspections are to be announced by ministers.

Under new rules to be introduced in April 2013, checks will no longer be routinely carried out on premises considered to be low risk, like shops.

Ministers say the checks can place an unnecessary burden on some businesses but some trade unions say it risks the safety of employees and customers.

The government plans to scrap or change more than 3,000 regulations.

It says its drive to cut bureaucracy will save companies millions of pounds.

Under plans to be announced by Business Minister Michael Fallon later, shops, offices, pubs and clubs will no longer face health and safety inspections.
'Burdensome inspections'

Businesses will only face health and safety inspections if they are operating in areas deemed to be higher-risk, such as construction and food production, or if they have had an accident or a track record of poor performance.

Ministers also said legislation would be introduced next month to ensure that businesses will only be held liable for civil damages in health and safety cases if they can be shown to have acted negligently.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said businesses need to focus on creating jobs and growth rather than "being tied up in unnecessary red tape".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19540318

Edited By Ady1 on 10/09/2012 09:12:14

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So does that mean we will see an end to the ambulance chasing leeches who advertise on TV ?

hope so.

Considering the Health and Safety Executives lack of manpower, I'm surprised routine inspections were carried out at all.

Talking of scrap yards, it has been stated in a number of posts that it's no longer possible to go round scrap yards looking for bits of suitable material. Why?.

For the very reason this topic covers, you aren't authorised to be there as you are a health and safety risk. to yourself

Pete

But also because the scrapyard's public liability insurance will most likely contain a clause that says the public are not allowed to wander around looking for stuff. Unfortunately, regardless of what effect the government's new stance may have, it will be the insurers who will prevent a return to the good old days.

Gentlemen,

The two main scrap yards around me require you to have a hard hat and a high vis waist coat which I personally think is a good idea wether taking in scrap or looking for the odd piece of metal. Loads of vehicles and grab cranes moving about make them dangerous places.

Martin P

About time to ! I am all for things being as safe as posible, but i think the whole thing went much to far. A ballroom near Manchester had a nice polished new dance floor fitted,and a week later the H.A.S. men came round and ordered it to sprayed with an anti slip coating !!!!!!!! brain dead or what ?

There has never been a problem with H.A.S. at our local scrapyard. I just drive in on my mobility scooter, plonk my scrap on the scales, collect my cash,then have a good look round for any usefull bits. NO hard hats, no high vis coats, just everyone looking what they are doing. Simple realy !

Cheers Derek

I'd love to know where these scrapyards are that will still let you do that, there don't seem to be any in my part of the country. I once spent most of a day driving round the scrapyards of Surrey and Hampshire looking for some lengths of angle iron to beef up my lathe stand, didn't find one that was interested in dealing with me, most only grudgingly allowed you through the gates to the site office, no chance of actually walking around the yard. Ended up paying nearly £10 per metre at the local stockholder. Perhaps if anyone knows where there exists a scavenger-friendly scrap dealer in the South of England they could reply here.

There's one just down the road from me but it might be a bit far for you

Russell

Having run a commercial workshop for 27 years we only had 1 inspection 20 years ago, he looked at the air compressor tank, fire extinquishers ( cant spell) and that was that. took about 4 mins. i asked him about electrical PAT testing of gear, the rules had just come in, and he knew nothing about it. all a bit odd. the fire officers come around every year looking at heaters, gas bottles etc with out fail. David

So it looks like the North of England is the place to go with access still available

The reason for the huge variation is councils, some councils are a PITA while others still have people in charge who are living in the real world

Edited By Ady1 on 12/09/2012 10:33:59

Maybe develop relationship with local engineering firms..Get it before it hits the skip?

Small firms are best since you can find someone to ask, who might be able to say yes..

Also lots of gear gets heaved to.

What you offer in exchange is up to you.. Jig /tool making etc. biscuit funds etc.

At very least they sometimes can source material too.

Obviously they are busy ( we hope) but patience always helps.

Maybe develop relationship with local engineering firms..Get it before it hits the skip?

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I did that at the start

Then things got weird, I think they thought I was flogging it off on ebay

You can munch through a ton of metal with a decent lathe

I was producing buckets of swarf and was back for more every couple of weeks

(They didn't want any cash for some reason, even coffee/biscuit fund money)

Scrappies are a straight deal, you collect it up and you pays your money

Scrappies also allow you to make mistakes and experiment

My last deal was the equivalent of 100+ quid of metal from a dealer for 15 quid at a scrappie so I could mess up and not be seriously out of pocket while giving myself lots of experience at the same time

Edited By Ady1 on 12/09/2012 11:05:14

Proberbly a good idea to have some idea of the current scrap prices for the metals that you are looking for, gives you some idea of how many biscuits, or cans of beer it may be worth. Ian S C

As a small business, we have the same problem with materials. The suppliers only want to supply in bulk or you end up paying over the odds for it.

We found a material supplier who will let us scavange through his scrap bin for the stuff we might find useful and its usually still got labels on as to what it is, then pay him his scrap value for it. Beats the oil soaked scrap bins. (must remember to get around to starting the ali wheels for RC buggy).

Don't try it with the big manufacturers! They don't half get funny, think your out to rob their secrets!

Philip.

Ady1, don't you mean 2000yrs, since Roman times, that put more tradition on it, participation should be compulsary. Ian S C  (for health and safty officers, and politions.)

Edited By Ian S C on 13/09/2012 13:45:18