Health and Safety at Work - (Act 1974)

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974  (also referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA) is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. 
The Health and Safety Executive, with local authorities (and other enforcing authorities) is responsible for enforcing the Act and a number of other Acts and Statutory Instruments relevant to the working environment.

2 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992: cover a wide range 
     
3 Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992: set out

4 Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992: require employers to

5 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998: require that

7 Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981: cover requirements for 

8 The Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations 1989: require

9 Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969: require employers 

10 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995

11 Noise at Work Regulations 1989: require employers to take action to protect

12 Electricity at Work Regulations 1989: require people in control of electrical

13 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH):
The basis of British health and safety law is the Health and Safety at Work etc 
Act 1974.

The Act sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees and
members of the public, and employees have to themselves and to each other. 
These duties are qualified in the Act by the principle of ‘so far as is reasonably
practicable’. In other words, an employer does not have to take measures to avoid
or reduce the risk if they are technically impossible or if the time, trouble or cost of
the measures would be grossly disproportionate to the risk. 
What the law requires here is what good management and common sense would
lead employers to do anyway: that is, to look at what the risks are and take
sensible measures to tackle them. 
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (the
Management Regulations) generally make more explicit what employers are
required to do to manage health and safety under the Health and Safety at Work
Act. Like the Act, they apply to every work activity. 
The main requirement on employers is to carry out a risk assessment. Employers
with five or more employees need to record the significant findings of the risk
assessment. 
Risk assessment should be straightforward in a simple workplace such as a typical
office. It should only be complicated if it deals with serious hazards such as those
on a nuclear power station, a chemical plant, laboratory or an oil rig.



1 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: require
employers to carry out risk assessments, make arrangements to implement
necessary measures, appoint competent people and arrange for appropriate
information and training. 

of basic health, safety and welfare issues such as ventilation, heating, lighting,
workstations, seating and welfare facilities. 

requirements for work with Visual Display Units (VDUs). 

provide appropriate protective clothing and equipment for their employees. 

equipment provided for use at work, including machinery, is safe.

6 Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992: cover the moving of objects by
hand or bodily force. 

first aid.

employers to display a poster telling employees what they need to know about
health and safety.

to take out insurance against accidents and ill health to their employees.

(RIDDOR): require employers to notify certain occupational injuries, diseases
and dangerous events.

employees from hearing damage. 

systems to ensure they are safe to use and maintained in a safe condition. 

require employers to assess the risks from hazardous substances and take
appropriate precautions.