The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) Regulations 2008 are set to come into force on the 6th April 2008 and will bring into place multiple changes to existing regulations. The regulations are mainly aimed at revisions to explosives regulations and will correct issues that have arisen since the new regulations on the manufacture […]

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (Commencement No.1) Order 2008 has been made (14th February 2008) and brings into force from 6th April 2008 the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (with the exceptions of section 2(1) (d) (duty owed to a person in custody etc. to be a relevant duty of […]

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, which have been in force in other industry sectors since April 2006, are set to cover the music and entertainment sectors from 6 April 2008 in order to protect workers from exposure to excessive noise. The two-year transitional period was allowed to the music and entertainment sectors […]

The Department of Environment has issued a consultation seeking views on the draft Regulations needed to transpose the revised Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) into national legislation in Northern Ireland. The directive requires:
·         monitoring, assessment and classification of bathing water quality at inland waters, and coastal and transitional waters;
·         the development of a system of bathing […]

 
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued a public consultation inviting views from those interested in how SEPA handles applications for authorisation of activities likely to have a significant adverse impact on the water environment.
Under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005, anyone who wishes to carry out a controlled activity (such as […]

Defra has issued a consultation inviting views on the proposed approach in transposing European Council Directive 2006/117/Euratom on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel into UK legislation. The Directive replaces the existing Directive 92/3 Euratom and the changes include:
·         The inclusion of shipments of spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing, […]

 
On February 29th, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) issued a consultation inviting your views and comments on the draft regulations for England and for Wales (Scotland and Northern Ireland are to consult separately) to implement Directive 2004/35 on environmental liability. The regulations impose obligations on operators of activities which cause or […]

Oil and fuel depots across Britain must improve environmental and safety standards for the bulk storage of hazardous liquids, with the release of a new containment policy. The Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Containment Policy has been developed by the COMAH Competent Authority (CA), comprising HSE, the Environment Agency and SEPA, in partnership with […]

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Variation of Schedule 5) (England) Order 2008 has added four new species to the Schedule 5 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and has also extended the current protection afforded to the water vole. The order was made 21st February 2008 and comes into force on 6th April […]

From the 6th of April 2008, all construction projects England costing over £300,000 (for new build, maintenance, alteration or installation/removal of services such as sewerage, water) will need a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) under The Site Waste Management Plans Regulations 2008 which were made on 8 February 2008. The purpose of a SWMP is […]