ACOP - Issued by who?

[bulbul]

Very basic question please, I have read on many revision sources...and found that ACOP is issued by the HSC. However, on google it is stated as follows:
"this is a specific type of guidance document, generally issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), ..."

I may not be important for the nebosh certificate level, but learning the right thing helps... Thanks

[Ian Rienewerf]

I think they might be designed and written by the HSC
http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/commissioners.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/index.htm
but published by the HSE.

I've never looked into this too deeply,
but I suspect the HSC do what committees do best - talk about the rules.
And the HSE are tasked with enforcement and regulation.

[bulbul]

Thanks for the info

[sidestep45]

From HASAWA Section 16

16. Approval of codes of practice by the Commission.—
(1) For the purpose of providing practical guidance with respect to the requirements of any provision of any of the enactments or instruments mentioned in subsection (1A) below] , the Commission may, subject to the following subsection . . .
(a)approve and issue such codes of practice (whether prepared by it or not) as in its opinion are suitable for that purpose;
(b)approve such codes of practice issued or proposed to be issued otherwise than by the Commission as in its opinion are suitable for that purpose.
(1A) Those enactments and instruments are—
(a)sections 2 to 7 above;
(b)health and safety regulations, except so far as they make provision exclusively in relation to transport systems falling within paragraph 1(3) of Schedule 3 to the Railways Act 2005; and
(c)the existing statutory provisions that are not such provisions by virtue of section 117(4) of the Railways Act 1993.]
(2) The Commission shall not approve a code of practice under subsection (1) above without the consent of the Secretary of State, and shall, before seeking his consent, consult—
(a)any government department or other body that appears to the Commission to be appropriate (and, in particular, in the case of a code relating to electromagnetic radiations, [F4 the Health Protection Agency]); and
(b)such government departments and other bodies, if any, as in relation to any matter dealt with in the code, the Commission is required to consult under this section by virtue of directions given to it by the Secretary of State.
(3) Where a code of practice is approved by the Commission under subsection (1) above, the Commission shall issue a notice in writing—
(a)identifying the code in question and stating the date on which its approval by the Commission is to take effect; and
(b)specifying for which of the provisions mentioned in subsection (1) above the code is approved.
(4) The Commission may—
(a)from time to time revise the whole or any part of any code of practice prepared by it in pursuance of this section;
(b)approve any revision or proposed revision of the whole or any part of any code of practice for the time being approved under this section;
and the provisions of subsections (2) and (3) above shall, with the necessary modifications, apply in relation to the approval of any revision under this subsection as they apply in relation to the approval of a code of practice under subsection (1) above.
(5) The Commission may at any time with the consent of the Secretary of State withdraw its approval from any code of practice approved under this section, but before seeking his consent shall consult the same government departments and other bodies as it would be required to consult under subsection (2) above if it were proposing to approve the code.
(6) Where under the preceding subsection the Commission withdraws its approval from a code of practice approved under this section, the Commission shall issue a notice in writing identifying the code in question and stating the date on which its approval of it is to cease to have effect.
(7) References in this Part to an approved code of practice are references to that code as it has effect for the time being by virtue of any revision of the whole or any part of it approved under this section.
(8) The power of the Commission under subsection (1)(b) above to approve a code of practice issued or proposed to be issued otherwise than by the Commission shall include power to approve a part of such a code of practice; and accordingly in this Part “code of practice” may be read as including a part of such a code of practice.

Toby