Health and Safety Executive

Are you covered by health and safety laws?

Yes. All work activities are covered by health and safety laws. The Health and Safety Executive enforces a range of legislation, including;

  • The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Regulations made under this act apply to all work situations, for example the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations.
  • Other laws that cover particular hazards, such as parts of the Food and Environmental Protection Act and the Control of Pesticides Regulations, both of which are about pesticides.
  • Laws that cover health and safety in specific industries such as mining, nuclear, railway, explosives and offshore oil and gas;
  • Older laws that predate the Health and safety at Work Act, and cover a range of industries, but not all workplaces, such as the Factories Act and regulations made under it. Most of these laws are gradually being modernised.

Although all working situations are covered by health and safety regulations, not all workplaces are inspected by HSE. Enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and related legislation is shared with Local Authorities who cover certain types of work activities.

For more detail on your responsibilities, and how health and safety law is meant to work, HSE has produced a booklet Health and Safety Regulation: A short guide. You should also read Health and safety law: what you should know.

If you have specific queries on health and safety issues in your workplace, first ask your boss, or - if you have one - your safety representative or trade union representative.

If you think your employer is exposing you to risks or is not carrying out legal duties, and you have pointed this out without getting a satisfactory response, you can contact us. We treat all contacts in strictest confidence.

Directgov - Business Link

26.07.11