Health and Safety Act 1974

Throughout the industrial revolution there have been significant accidents that have incurred huge loss of life and injury due to poor working conditions in the employee's work place, such as in coal mining, gas and oil industries.

Different Regulations had been introduced through the 19th/20th Century, however employers left to their own devises took limited steps to implement safer measures for their employees and thus The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, was born.

The Health and Safety Act 1974, aimed to set out clear guidelines and practices for employers to implement to protect their employees when at work and believed that everyone has the right to come home safe and well from their job. 

The Health and Safety Executive is the regulatory body that supports industry through offering free guidance and advice.

By giving employers the confidence to manage risks correctly, it boosts productivity, supports the economy and contributes to a fairer society.

HSE helps workers understand how they can stay safe and well.

Using world leading science the HSE have helped protect millions of people from devastating injury and suffering.

HSE leads the way but does not act alone. Everyone has a part to play - employers, unions, trade associations, professional bodies, academics and others.

Working in partnership is one of their strengths. It’s at the heart of how they protect workers and the public.

The world of work is always changing. HSE use science to understand these changes, and that understanding helps prepare us all for the workplaces of tomorrow ... so Great Britain continues to be one of the safest and best places to work and do business with.