PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Self-employed (9 July 2014)

The prescribed list will cover undertakings rather than specific sectors or occupations. An undertaking will be prescribed if one of the following four criteria is met:

1. There are high numbers of self-employed in a particular industry, and high rates of injuries and/or fatalities (e.g. agriculture);

2. There is a significant risk to members of the public (e.g. fairgrounds);

3. There is the potential for mass fatalities (e.g. explosives); or

4. There is a European obligation to retain the general duty on self-employed persons (e.g. construction - Council Directive 92/57/EEC imposes duties on the self-employed for safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites).

A consultation on the regulations can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd273.htm

The definition of construction activities, to which the self employed will continue to have duties, can be found in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.