The Occupational Safety & Health Consultants Register

The Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) is in the news at the moment as it has been launched for the public to view all registered Health & Safety consultants. The register gives you the peace of mind that you are dealing with a registered consultant who has complied to a high standard of qualifications recognised by a professional body.

The OSHCR came about as a result of the Lord Young report into Health & Safety, Lord Young raised his concern that anybody can operate as a health and safety consultant with no legal requirement or standards set. Some may overcomplicate health and safety or miss important hazards — and in particular, they contribute to misconceptions about what is really needed to protect people at work. In a small number of cases, HSE has prosecuted these rogue consultants for advice that has put people at risk.

The OSHCR is a single, recognised national scheme for identifying safety consultants who have attained high degrees of qualifications and experience as recognised by the participating professional bodies. Initially the OSHCR will be a register for individuals who primarily provide commercial third-party advice services on general safety management issues, and will therefore not include occupational health consultants at present, but may do so in the future.

The intention of the OSHCR is to create a mechanism by which the professional bodies can work together to ensure standards are raised. Lord Young is clear that if this is not achieved, a statutory scheme cannot be ruled out.