Better regulation
HSE is fully committed to ensuring that regulations are fair and effective for everyone. Regulations are needed to protect people at work, but to avoid unnecessary burdens on business it is important to strike the right balance.
Legislation
List of all HSE-owned regulations, with links, wherever possible, to the full text of the legislation and relevant HSE guidance.
Business to business health and safety 'rules'
Health and safety 'rules' are obligations imposed by businesses or business intermediary organisations, not by Government. HSE has been exploring perceptions of these rules and their effects both on businesses and the health and safety system more widely.
Understanding the impact of business to business health and safety 'rules'
Business Impact Target (BIT)
The business impact target (BIT) concerns the economic impact of regulation on businesses. Our reports include:
- information on regulatory provisions that have come into force or ceased to be in force during the parliamentary year
- an assessment of the economic impact on business of the regulatory provisions
- information on HSE’s non-qualifying regulatory provisions
The business impact target (BIT), is a cross-government regulatory reform target and statutory report set in each Parliament. Reports are a statutory obligation of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act (SBEE) 2015.
HSE’s business impact target report
- Government's business impact target reports
- The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) has validated HSE's Qualifying Regulatory Provisions (QRP)
- HSE’s business impact target report 17 December 2021 to 16 December 2022
Reports archive
The following reports are available via The National Archive:
- HSE’s business impact target report 9 June 2017 to 20June 2018
- HSE’s business impact target report 21 June 2018 to 20 June 2019
- HSE’s business impact target report 21 June 2019 to 12 December 2019
- HSE’s business impact target report 13 December 2019 to 16 December 2020
- HSE’s business impact target report 17 December 2020 to 16 December 2021
Regulators Code
The Regulators' Code came into statutory effect on 6 April 2014, replacing the Regulators' Compliance Code. It provides a clear, flexible and principles-based framework for how regulators should engage with those they regulate.
Consultation
Help HSE to shape the way health and safety is enforced in the workplace. Play a vital role in deciding future health and safety policy and law.
Accountability for Regulator Impact
Regulators are responsible for producing impact assessments for changes in policy which have the force of law. They do not need to produce an impact assessment when changing their operational policies, processes or practices.
However, such changes can have important impacts on the businesses they regulate. This is why regulators are now required to produce 'Business Engagement Assessments' for significant changes in the burden of regulatory activity on business such as :
- changes to non statutory guidance;
- moves from paper-based to electronic reporting;
- new or amended information obligations;
- changes to or new standards;
- changes to an inspection, enforcement or licensing framework or regime (but not individual enforcement decisions or changes to individual licenses);
- changes in the regulator's provision of information, advice or training to businesses.
Accountability for Regulator Impact guidance
HSE's Business Engagement Assessments
HSE has no Business Engagement Assessments at present.