Health and Safety
Employer Cares
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Section 2 provides that “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees.” Also under section 2, Subsection 2 provides that the employers duty extends to include (so far as is reasonable): maintenance of systems that are safe and without risks to health; safety and absence of risk to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substance; training and supervision to ensure the health and safety of employees; maintenance of access to work places; and maintenance of a working environment (Section 2(2)a),b),c),d),e).
Employers must provide suitable and sufficient welfare facilities under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Sanitary conveniences and washing facilities must be suitable and sufficient, and separate facilities for men and women are required except where each facility is in a separate room capable of being secured from inside.
Source: §1-2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act: The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
Free Protection
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 seek to ensure that where the risks cannot be controlled by other means, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is correctly selected and used. Items of PPE (Safety spectacles, goggles, face shields, visors, helmets, hard hats, bump caps, etc.) have to be provided by the employer to the workers free of charge. Employer is further required to train the workers on the use of PPE, and employees must have the equipment readily available, or at the very least have clear instructions on where they can obtain it.
Source: §2(2e) & Schedule III of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Training
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Section 2(2)c) provides that “the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees. In addition, Section 2 subsection 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 provides a duty of every employer to prepare and as often as may be appropriate revise a written statement of his general policy with respect to the health and safety at work of his employees and the organization and arrangements for the time being in force for carrying out that policy, and to bring the statement and any revision of it to the notice of all of his employees.
Source: §2(2c & 3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act
Labour Inspection System
Section 10(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. The 1974 Act provides that a body corporate, to be known as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), shall exist to focus on ensuring that employers provide adequate training and supervision for their employees. HSE inspectors have a wide range of powers enabling them to inspect premises, serve improvement notices and other notices to ensure employers stick to the HSE’s codes of practice.
The UK’s new “Fair Work Agency” model is implemented through the Employment Rights Act 2025, which creates a single, unified state enforcement framework for labour market rights.
The Fair Work Agency is scheduled to be established on 7 April 2026 as an Executive Agency of the Department for Business and Trade. The legislation gives enforcement functions to the Secretary of State, which will in practice be exercised through the Agency and enforcement officers appointed for that purpose. The framework is designed to consolidate labour-market enforcement and, over time, expand it. Official factsheets describe powers to inspect workplaces, require documents and evidence, impose civil penalties, seek labour market enforcement undertakings and orders, bring proceedings, provide legal assistance, and recover enforcement costs where regulations allow. The advisory-board and reporting framework in the Act also remains important.
Source: §10-14 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; Part 5 §90-102 of the Employment Rights Act, 2025
Regulations on Health and Safety
- Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
- Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Employer Cares
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Section 2 provides that “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees.” Also under section 2, Subsection 2 provides that the employers duty extends to include (so far as is reasonable): maintenance of systems that are safe and without risks to health; safety and absence of risk to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substance; training and supervision to ensure the health and safety of employees; maintenance of access to work places; and maintenance of a working environment (Section 2(2)a),b),c),d),e).
Employers must provide suitable and sufficient welfare facilities under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Sanitary conveniences and washing facilities must be suitable and sufficient, and separate facilities for men and women are required except where each facility is in a separate room capable of being secured from inside.
Source: §1-2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act: The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
Free Protection
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 seek to ensure that where the risks cannot be controlled by other means, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is correctly selected and used. Items of PPE (Safety spectacles, goggles, face shields, visors, helmets, hard hats, bump caps, etc.) have to be provided by the employer to the workers free of charge. Employer is further required to train the workers on the use of PPE, and employees must have the equipment readily available, or at the very least have clear instructions on where they can obtain it.
Source: §2(2e) & Schedule III of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Training
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Section 2(2)c) provides that “the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees. In addition, Section 2 subsection 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 provides a duty of every employer to prepare and as often as may be appropriate revise a written statement of his general policy with respect to the health and safety at work of his employees and the organization and arrangements for the time being in force for carrying out that policy, and to bring the statement and any revision of it to the notice of all of his employees.
Source: §2(2c & 3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act
Labour Inspection System
Section 10(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. The 1974 Act provides that a body corporate, to be known as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), shall exist to focus on ensuring that employers provide adequate training and supervision for their employees. HSE inspectors have a wide range of powers enabling them to inspect premises, serve improvement notices and other notices to ensure employers stick to the HSE’s codes of practice.
The UK’s new “Fair Work Agency” model is implemented through the Employment Rights Act 2025, which creates a single, unified state enforcement framework for labour market rights.
The Fair Work Agency is scheduled to be established on 7 April 2026 as an Executive Agency of the Department for Business and Trade. The legislation gives enforcement functions to the Secretary of State, which will in practice be exercised through the Agency and enforcement officers appointed for that purpose. The framework is designed to consolidate labour-market enforcement and, over time, expand it. Official factsheets describe powers to inspect workplaces, require documents and evidence, impose civil penalties, seek labour market enforcement undertakings and orders, bring proceedings, provide legal assistance, and recover enforcement costs where regulations allow. The advisory-board and reporting framework in the Act also remains important.
Source: §10-14 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; Part 5 §90-102 of the Employment Rights Act, 2025
Regulations on Health and Safety
- Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
- Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
