Health and safety basics

All employers have a legal duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA). This is the principal legislation governing workplace safety in the UK, and it applies to all businesses regardless of size.

What the law requires

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to:

• Conduct risk assessments and provide safe equipment and working conditions
• Ensure materials are properly stored, handled, used and transported
• Provide information, training, instruction and supervision to employees
• Inform workers fully about all potential hazards
• Consult with employees on health and safety matters

Employee responsibilities

Employees also have legal duties under Sections 7 and 8 of the Act:

• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others
• Cooperate with their employer on health and safety matters
• Use PPE in accordance with instruction and training
• Report any damage, defects or hazards they identify
• Not interfere with or misuse anything provided for health and safety

The 5-step risk assessment process

Risk assessment is the foundation of workplace health and safety. The HSE recommends this 5-step approach:

Step 1: Identify the hazards

Walk around your workplace and look for anything that could reasonably cause harm. Consider physical hazards (machinery, electricity, working at height), health hazards (chemicals, dust, noise), and organisational hazards (stress, fatigue, lone working).

Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how

Consider all workers including part-time staff, contractors, cleaners, and visitors. Pay special attention to young workers, new employees, pregnant workers, and people with disabilities who may face additional risks.

Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions

For each hazard, consider how likely harm is and how serious it could be. Apply the hierarchy of control: eliminate the hazard if possible, substitute with something less dangerous, use engineering controls, implement safe systems of work, and use PPE as a last resort.

Step 4: Record your findings and implement them

If you have 5 or more employees, you must record your significant findings in writing. Even with fewer employees, keeping records is best practice. Share findings with employees and implement the control measures you've identified.

Step 5: Review and update regularly

Risk assessments aren't a one-off exercise. Review them when circumstances change (new equipment, different processes, after accidents) or at least annually. Update controls as needed.

Requirements by business size

H&S obligations scale with your workforce. See our dedicated guide for details on what changes at each threshold.

Common workplace hazards

Your risk assessment should consider these common hazards:

Manual handling: The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require you to avoid hazardous manual handling where possible, assess risks that can't be avoided, and reduce the risk of injury. There are no specific safe weight limits in law - you must assess each situation.

Display screen equipment (DSE): If staff use computers habitually for significant periods (generally more than 1 hour per day), you must assess their workstation setup, provide breaks from screen work, and offer eye tests on request. This applies equally to home workers.

Slips, trips and falls: One of the most common causes of workplace injuries. Control contamination, ensure adequate lighting, keep areas tidy and free from obstructions, and maintain floors in good condition.

Working at height: The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to any work where someone could fall and injure themselves - there's no minimum height threshold. Always avoid working at height where possible, use equipment to prevent falls, and minimise fall distances.

Electrical safety: Over 1,000 electrical accidents are reported to HSE each year, with approximately 30 resulting in fatalities. Ensure equipment is safe, have it regularly inspected (PAT testing), and train staff on electrical hazards.

Enforcement and penalties

Health and safety law is enforced by either the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or local authorities, depending on your business type:

• HSE enforces: Construction, manufacturing, factories, farms, chemical plants, railways
• Local authorities enforce: Shops, offices, retail, pubs, clubs, hotels, care homes, leisure facilities, warehouses

Penalties for non-compliance:

• Fines are unlimited for health and safety offences
• Multi-million pound penalties are common for larger companies (fines are proportional to turnover since 2016 sentencing guidelines)
• Directors can face up to 2 years imprisonment for offences committed with their consent or negligence
• Gross negligence manslaughter carries a maximum of life imprisonment
• Directors can be disqualified for up to 15 years

HSE maintains a conviction rate exceeding 90% when cases reach court. Fines are substantial and proportional to turnover under the 2016 sentencing guidelines.