Appendix 3 - how advice changes
I have a bit of a fascination with how HSE guidance has changed over the years. Sometime I’ll write about the old ladder guidance (but for now, just head over to the Ladder Association website for the best advice). What I have done here is brought together old versions of HSE documents, especially where I have something to say about earlier versions, or the changes, in the book (or in other articles).
There used to be two guides from the HSE covering risk assessment. One was the short guide, INDG 163, originally called Five steps to risk assessment, and in its last PDF version (2014), somewhat less snappily Risk assessment: A brief guide to controlling risks in the workplace. There was a draft revision in 2016, but by 2019 a search on the HSE website of ‘INDG163’ will instead take you to the page I have referenced in almost every chapter in this book. www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk
You can access old versions of INDG 163 below.
The other document that supported risk assessment was L21, the HSE Approved Code of Practice and guidance (ACoP) supporting the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. This was a much more detailed document, and part of the ‘legal series’ from the HSE.
I don’t have a copy of the first edition which supported the 1992 version of the Regulations, but the second edition is linked below.
INDG 163: Five steps to risk assessment
Rev 1, 1998 ‘Five steps to risk assessment’
Rev 2, 2006 ‘Five steps to risk assessment’
Rev 3, 2011 ‘Five steps to risk assessment’
Rev 4, 2014 ‘Risk assessment. A brief guide to controlling risks in the workplace’ (note the change of title)
Draft of Rev 5, 2016 ‘Risk assessment. A brief guide to controlling risks in the workplace.’ Never issued, and removed from the HSE website.
2019, Steps needed to manage risk. Update to the HSE website, splitting the activities needed in the first three steps differently. I’ve kept a pdf of this in case it changes again, but for now see the HSE website.
L21: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, ACOP and guidance
L21 was the Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) for the Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations (Management regs, 1999). Despite 52% of respondents to the HSE consultation opposing the removal of L21 it was withdrawn on 31 July 2013, to the consternation of many in the health and safety community.
At the time, I raised a question on LinkedIn ‘Does anyone miss L21?’
There was a universal ‘yes’ from health and safety professionals. No one spoke in favour of its demise, all intended to keep their old copies, and many were concerned about the legal implications of its withdrawal. These were interesting – some saw L21 as a document that would protect organisations in court, but legal advice I received at the time was that L21 was more likely to be used to prosecute than to defend. I wrote a longer article about the mistakes in the original document, and the implications of its withdrawal, so get in touch if you want to know more. But as more than a decade has passed since its demise, I suspect we’ve all moved on. However, I’ve included a 2004 reprint of the 2000 edition here for reference, as it is referred to in the book.
L21: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, ACOP and guidance.
HSG 65: Successful health and safety management
First issued in 1991, I don’t have a copy of that version.
HSG 65, 2011 mentions PDCA but still uses POPIMAR
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