HSE Health and Safety Guidance to be free Online from Sep

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HSE Health and Safety Guidance to be free Online from this Month

No. 788/09
Ref EX5
Date: 15 September 2009
To All Branches

Dear Colleagues

HSE Health and Safety Guidance to be free Online from this Month (September 2009)

Further to previous BOB and LTB publicity this is to remind all CWU Health and Safety Representatives that from this month, September 2009 around 250 HSE 'priced' publications that contain health and safety advice and guidance will be given away 'free of charge' by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The guidance will be available from the HSE's website in downloadable 'PDF' file format to view and print. These mainly include HSE's 'HSG' and 'L' series of publications.

HSE has made the content of some 230 priced publications freely available through the new HSE Books website. The publications cover the full range of HSE's guidance as well as detailed information on associated codes of practice (ACOPs) and safety regulations. The HSE publish a wide variety of publications offering advice and guidance for Safety Reps, workers, managers and the general public.

The HSE advised the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department that it was making the information available to help employers better understand their legal duties and what health and safety precautions they need to take, and to help Trade Union Safety Representatives in maintaining and improving health and safety in the workplace.

Professionally produced printed versions will still be available to buy from HSE Books. HSE Books is the name of the mail order and warehousing services for the distribution of HSE publications and multimedia products. HSE Books distributes both priced and free publications and also operates a number of subscription services, mainly priced, on the subject of health and safety at the workplace. Contact details: HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA. Tel: 01787 881165.

A new "HSE Books Website" - "The Bookfinder Website" has also been launched this month. The Bookfinder website provides the online system for selecting and ordering publications from HSE Books. The complete range of HSE publications may be ordered through Bookfinder. The Bookfinder system is updated on a weekly basis to take into account the addition of new publications and the removal of obsolete titles. The site helps deliver HSE's promise, made in June 2009 at the launch of the new HSE strategy, to make the content of HSE priced publications containing guidance and regulation, freely available from 1 September 2009. The content of these priced publications are now freely available in PDF format. Printed hard copies can also be purchased through the new website. The option to view a PDF is shown under the paragraph headed 'Downloads' on the relevant page for each publication within the new site. HSE has from the outset, made some 50 or so of their most popular titles freely available in 'printer friendly' format. The remaining titles will be converted to this format by 31 March 2010. PDF formats of priced publications have the same content as the printed formats, both have equal status in law. No changes will be made to one format in isolation from the other.

The HSE Bookfinder Website link: http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/home.jsf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
HSE is very interested in receiving feedback and comments on the new site. You can send these to HSE using the feedback link on the menu bar.

Crown copyright will still apply to the free online publications and organisations wishing to reproduce the information will still need an appropriate license from the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI).

Yours Sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

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http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... ns#p165046" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Further useful resource links from the HSE for CWU health and safety reps and other interested parties:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/essentials.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg210.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg263.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l64.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;