Health and safety officials appear before DWP select committee

Senior members of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) reiterated calls to the government for more regulation in their profession.

Richard Jones, IOSH policy and technical director, president Ray Hurst and trustee Ian Waldram made the appeals before the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) select committee.

They were appearing to provide evidence to assist the DWP's inquiry into the future of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC).

Richard Jones said to the committee: "There are no controls and that's why we are calling to make health and safety a regulated profession. The trouble is at present anyone can set themselves up as a health and safety consultant or adviser."

A series of issues were discussed with the IOSH panel, including what can be done to tackle the negative public perception of health and safety in the UK, and the differences in enforcement between the UK and elsewhere.

The health and safety experts met with the select committee at parliament last Wednesday.

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