Lawford Kidd's Blog

The Scottish Government is to donate £100,000 to the Pound for Piper Memorial Trust to help maintain a memorial garden to the victims of the Piper Alpha disaster.

The funding was announced as the Scottish Government unveiled plans to mark the 25th anniversary of the disaster.

The donation will be made from money seized under proceeds of crime legislation, which is used to support worthwhile causes all across Scotland.

The European Commission (EC) has launched a public consultation on the results of the evaluation of the European Strategy on Safety and Health at Work 2007-2012.

The consultation aims to help identify current and future challenges in the occupational safety and health area, and identify solutions to address these challenges.

"Accidents at work are at a historically low level, and the European Union’s occupational safety and health standards are a reference for the rest of the world,” commented László Andor, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill received Royal Assent recently. The Act contains reforms relating to a wide variety of areas, including changes to employment law, health and safety rules and copyright regulation.

The Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons on 23rd May 2012, has attracted a considerable amount of controversy during its passage through the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Bad news for injury at work victims

A Bill that makes provision for the prosecution in Scotland of partnerships, partners and others following dissolution or changes in membership, has completed its passage through Parliament.

The Partnerships (Prosecution) (Scotland) Bill is now waiting for Royal Assent, and will come into force on the day after the assent is granted.

The Bill closes a legal loophole in Scottish partnership law, which came to light after the tragic death of 14 elderly residents in a fire at the Rosepark nursing home in Lanarkshire in 2004.

The owner of a Herne Bay hair salon has been fined for failing to provide legally required insurance cover that enables employees to claim damages should they be injured at work.

The owner neglected to arrange Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) when he took over the business last year.

Canterbury Magistrates' Court heard that an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in August 2012 into a complaint from a concerned employee established there was no cover in place for at least three months.