Overseas Companies
Companies domiciled in countries other than within the European Union (EU) but with operations in United Kingdom or Europe may well be used to a different legal and enforcement regime. Whilst the intent of the applicable safety laws may well be the same in all jurisdictions: to prevent harm, the methodology of achieving that aim is often strikingly different.
Put simply, EU safety laws and standards are based on the risk assessment principle, whereby employers are obliged to look at their own activities, identify the hazards, assess the risks arising from those hazards and then apply appropriate controls. The onus is firmly on the employer to make the decision on what actions to take although supported by extensive codes of practice and guidance.
This approach can be confusing to risk managers or safety officers used to very specific legally binding codes, such as OSHA Codes, detailing what controls to apply in given circumstances.
LRS has experience of working with non-EU risk managers by providing a local expert to participate in the European sections of global audit programmes, provide liaison with local insurance carriers, provide local advice on compliance and to assist the UK based parts of global organisations in reconciling the occasionally conflicting local laws with Corporate Standards.
We would be very happy to supplement your own health and safety team by providing local expertise and advice, assisting in local legal compliance and adherence to your own corporate standards. We have previously carried out such work in many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, N & S America.