Strategy, policy and legal framework

HSE sets the strategy, policy and legal framework for health and safety in Great Britain.

Our position as a regulator ensures we will remain the key player. But we encourage all those who have an interest to get involved in delivering safer and healthier workplaces. Our strategy, Helping Great Britain work well, aims to deliver this.

Our overarching, strategic principles

The principles of the health and safety system are sound and have stood the test of time:

Focusing on risks

We promote a sensible, proportionate approach and want dutyholders to focus on controlling significant risks, so they:

Evidence-based policy

Our policies are underpinned by sound scientific and economic evidence. We listen to the views of others and respond accordingly.

A simplified legal framework

Our approach is risk-based and goal-setting. We have greatly simplified health and safety law in recent years and reduced unnecessary burdens on dutyholders. We achieved this by:

Further information

Updated 2022-11-01