EEF calls for review of Optical Radiation Directive
August 11th 2009

EEF, the manufacturer’s organisation, has called for an urgent review of the Artificial Optical Radiations Directive. The Directive is set to be implemented in the UK by April 2010, despite an impact assessment by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) saying it brings ‘no additional benefits’.

EEF has written to the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions calling for UK government to make a last-ditch attempt to get implementation postponed to allow for a full review. The Directive will affect businesses carrying out welding and using lasers and will increase bureaucracy, whilst doing nothing to protect employees from harm.

Commenting, Steve Pointer, Head of Health & Safety Policy at EEF said:

“This directive is the kind of issue that gets health and safety legislation a bad name. Business will find it difficult to understand why it is being introduced when HSE itself says it will bring no health & safety benefits to the UK. The risks are more effectively managed under existing legislation.

“HSE is working to make it as simple as possible to comply – and EEF is assisting with that process. But there is something badly wrong if the national regulator is having to do this to make the best of a very bad directive. We need to tackle the root-cause of the problem and that is the directive itself.”

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