The European Court of Justice has today delivered its judgment in the long running infraction case (C-127/05) against the United Kingdom concerning the UK's alleged under-implementation of the EC's Health and Safety Framework Directive (89/39 I/EEC) by the use of the qualifier "so far as is reasonably practicable" (SFAIRP) on an employer's duty to safeguard his or her workers. The Court has dismissed the European Commission's case and awarded the UK costs.

I welcome this decision. It enables us to maintain our proportionate and risk-based approach to protecting employees and others effectively, whilst allowing common sense to be applied when deciding on what protective measures to adopt.