Last edited 11 Jun 2024

Office for Product Safety and Standards OPSS

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[edit] Introduction

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) was created in January 2018 from the regulatory delivery directorate of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Its role is to deliver consumer protection and to support business confidence, productivity and growth. It regulates a wide range of products with a focus on their safety and integrity, many of which are used in the construction sector. It is also the regulator for legal metrology, ensuring weighing and measuring instruments are accurate and reliable. The office does not cover vehicles which are regulated by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, or medicines which are covered by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency or food which is covered by the Food Standards Agency.

[edit] Responsibilities of the OPSS

Responsibilities of the OPSS for consumers include:

For businesses:

For regulators:

For further information visit the office for products and safety standards government website

[edit] Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), formerly the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) was the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) which had been formed in July 2001. In May 2002 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister became a separate department after absorbing the local government and regions portfolios from the defunct Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and named the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). In January 2018, the department was renamed the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). In September 2021, it was again renamed to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), with greater policy powers across the entire United Kingdom, however with a focus on England.

[edit] Responsibilities of the DLUHC

The department is responsible for UK Government policy in the following areas, mainly in England:

[edit] The levelling up taskforce

The levelling up taskforce was formed in September 2021 headed by a former Bank of England chief economist. The levelling up policy was not initially defined in detail, but covers:

The Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities is also to be the lead department responsible for construction products.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in its role as the National Regulator for Construction Products (NRCP), will act on behalf of and be funded by the DLUHC. The Office for Product Safety and Standards will continue to act as the National Regulator for Consumer Products within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

For further information visit the department-for-levelling-up-housing-and-communities website

[edit] National Regulator for Construction Products (NRCP)

In April 2021 the Office for Product Safety and Standards began to lead and coordinate work to set up a new regulatory approach for construction products. The intention is that the National Regulator for Construction Products becomes fully operational once the Building Safety Bill and subsequent secondary legislation have been approved by Parliament. This new legislation will give the Office for Product Safety and Standards all the necessary legal powers to carry out its duties as the National Regulator for Construction Products. It will act on behalf of, and be funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

[edit] Responsibilities of the NRCP

Evidence given during the Grenfell Tower Inquiry demonstrated a clear need to confront poor practices in the construction products industry and establish new norms to restore public confidence. The National Regulator for Construction Products will encourage good practice, enforce the law, and educate the industry, the system cannot be fixed by regulatory intervention alone. All industry stakeholders have a part to play in changing the operational culture and must jointly accept this responsibility, including:

In the interim, the Office for Product Safety and Standards in its acting role as the National Regulator for Construction Products will:

For further information visit the national regulator for construction products website

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