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Updating author: Andrea Tithecott
On this page: Summary Future
developments Practical example Key references Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974 Health and Safety
Executive Department for Work
and Pensions Employment
Medical Advisory Service Local
authorities Inspectors Trade associations British Standards Institution
Summary
- The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 provides the main framework for
health and safety law in the UK. (See Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974)
- The Health and Safety Executive is the single national non-departmental
regulatory body responsible for promoting the cause of better health and
safety at work through health and safety legislation, research and the
enforcement of health and safety legislation in higher-risk sectors. (See
Health and Safety Executive)
- Responsibility for the Health and Safety Executive lies with the
Department for Work and Pensions. (See Department for Work and Pensions)
- The Employment Medical Advisory Service can provide employers with expert
advice on work-related medical matters. (See Employment Medical Advisory
Service)
- Local authority environmental health officers are responsible for the
enforcement of health and safety legislation in most lower-risk
sectors. (See Local authorities)
- The Health and Safety Executive and local authorities are empowered to
appoint suitably qualified persons as inspectors to enforce health and safety
legislation. (See Inspectors)
- Various trade associations have developed safety standards that, in some
instances, have acquired a limited legal status. (See Trade associations)
- The British Standards Institution is responsible for facilitating,
drafting, publishing and marketing British Standards and other
guidelines. (See British
Standards Institution)
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Future developments
Health and safety inspections: In September 2012, the
Government announced its intention to introduce legislation that will ensure
(with effect from April 2013) that only businesses that operate in high-risk
areas such as construction, those that have a record of poor performance or
those that have had an incident will be subject to health and safety
inspections. The Government's
announcement (on the BIS website) states that "Shops, offices, pubs and
clubs will no longer face burdensome health and safety inspections" and the new
rules "will exempt hundreds of thousands of businesses from burdensome, regular
health and safety inspections". |
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