For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)

Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties

Employers also bound by 171 other Acts (top 5 shown)

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 1998 204 duties
The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 201 duties
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 1989 55 duties
Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 2006 51 duties
TULRCA 1992 1992 47 duties

Self-Employed People also bound by 17 other Acts (top 5 shown)

Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 1993 5 duties
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 1992 4 duties
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 1998 4 duties
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended 2022) 1992 4 duties
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 1999 3 duties

Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)

Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 75 duties
Companies Act 2006 2006 63 duties
Insolvency Act 1986 1986 46 duties
CCBSA 2014 2014 22 duties
CAICEA 2004 2004 18 duties

Employees also bound by 53 other Acts (top 5 shown)

Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (current NI employment law) 1996 13 duties
The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 10 duties
Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014 2014 10 duties
Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002 2002 9 duties
Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 2006 5 duties

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — Health, Safety and Welfare in connection with Work, and Control of Dangerous Substances and Certain Emissions into the Atmosphere

s.002

General duties of employers to their employees.

2 years imprisonment

Protect the health, safety, and welfare of all employees Employer

s.003

General duties of employers and self-employed to persons other than their employees.

2 years imprisonment

Protect the health and safety of non-employees and the public Self-Employed Person

s.004

General duties of persons concerned with premises to persons other than their employees.

2 years imprisonment

Ensure safety of premises for non-employees and the public Any Person

s.005

General duty of persons in control of certain premises in relation to harmful emissions into atmosphere.

2 years imprisonment

Prevent and minimize harmful emissions from business premises Any Person

s.006

General duties of manufacturers etc. as regards articles and substances for use at work.

2 years imprisonment

Ensure safety of products, equipment, and substances supplied for work Any Person

s.007

General duties of employees at work.

2 years imprisonment

Take reasonable care for health and safety and cooperate with employer Employee

s.008

Duty not to interfere with or misuse things provided pursuant to certain provisions.

2 years imprisonment

Do not interfere with or misuse safety equipment Any Person

s.009

Duty not to charge employees for things done or provided pursuant to certain specific requirements.

Unlimited fine

Do not charge employees for health and safety requirements Employer

s.011

Functions of the Executive.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

HSE must provide information, training, and advisory services Statutory regulator

s.018

Authorities responsible for enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Regulators and local authorities must arrange for health and safety enforcement Statutory regulator

s.027

Obtaining of information by the Commission, the Executive, enforcing authorities etc.

2 years imprisonment

Provide information when served with an HSE notice Any Person

s.033

Offences

Commit a health and safety offence Any Person

s.036

Offences due to fault of other person.

2 years imprisonment

Cause another person to commit an health and safety offence Any Person

s.037

Offences by bodies corporate.

2 years imprisonment

Personal liability of directors and managers for company safety breaches Director or Officer

s.043

Financial provisions.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Secretary of State may set fees for health and safety services Crown / Minister / Government department

s.051

Application of Part to police.

2 years imprisonment

Police leadership liability for health and safety breaches Any Person

Browse 39 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

s.001

Preliminary.

s.010

Establishment of the Executive.

s.011

Powers of the Executive: buildings in England

s.012

Control of the Executive by the Secretary of State.

s.013

Powers of the Executive.

s.015

Health and safety regulations.

s.017

Use of approved codes of practice in criminal proceedings.

s.019

Appointment of inspectors.

s.020

Powers of inspectors.

s.021

Improvement notices.

s.022

Prohibition notices.

s.023

Provisions supplementary to ss. 21 and 22.

s.024

Appeal against improvement or prohibition notice.

s.025

Power to deal with cause of imminent danger.

s.025

Power of customs officer to detain articles and substances.

s.026

Power of enforcing authorities to indemnify their inspectors.

s.027

Information communicated by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs.

s.028

Restrictions on disclosure of information.

s.029

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

s.030

Agricultural health and safety regulations.

s.031

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

s.034

Extension of time for bringing summary proceedings.

s.035

Venue.

s.038

Restrictions on institution of proceedings in England and Wales.

s.039

Prosecutions by inspectors.

s.040

Onus of proving limits of what is practicable etc.

s.041

Evidence.

s.042

Power of court to order cause of offence to be remedied or, in certain cases, forfeiture.

s.044

Appeals in connection with licensing provisions in the relevant statutory provisions.

s.045

Default powers.

s.046

Service of notices.

s.047

Civil liability.

s.048

Application to Crown.

s.049

Adaptation of enactments to metric units or appropriate metric units.

s.050

Regulations under the relevant statutory provisions.

s.051

Exclusion of application to domestic employment.

s.052

Meaning of work and at work.

s.053

General interpretation of Part I.

s.054

Application of Part I to Isles of Scilly.

Part II — The Employment Medical Advisory Service

s.055

Functions of, and responsibility for maintaining, employment medical advisory service.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Secretary of State must maintain the Employment Medical Advisory Service Crown / Minister / Government department

s.056

Functions of authority responsible for maintaining the service.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Secretary of State must appoint and qualify employment medical advisers Crown / Minister / Government department

s.058

Other financial provisions.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Secretary of State must fund the employment medical advisory service Crown / Minister / Government department

s.059

Duty of responsible authority to keep accounts and to report.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Authority must keep accounts and report on medical advisory services Statutory regulator

s.060

Supplementary.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Secretary of State must ensure access to school medical records Crown / Minister / Government department

Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

s.057

Fees.

Part III — Building Regulations, and Amendment of Building (Scotland) Act 1959

Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

s.061

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

s.063

Miscellaneous provisions as to the approval of plans.

s.064

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

s.070

Power to make building regulations for Inner London.

s.071

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

s.075

Amendment of Building (Scotland) Act 1959.

s.076

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

Part IV — Miscellaneous and General

s.077

Amendment of Radiological Protection Act 1970.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

National Radiological Protection Board must consult HSE and follow its policies Statutory regulator

Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

s.078

Amendment of Fire Precautions Act 1971.

s.079

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

s.080

General power to repeal or modify Acts and instruments.

s.081

Expenses and receipts.

s.082

General provisions as to interpretation and regulations.

s.083

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

s.084

Extent, and application of Act.

s.085

Short title and commencement.

Schedules

s.002

Additional Provisions Relating to the Constitution etc. of the Health and Safety Executive

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

HSE must publish accounts and annual performance reports Statutory regulator

Browse 5 other Schedules — structural / supplementary

s.003

Subject-Matter of Health and Safety Regulations

s.sch001

Existing Enactments which are Relevant Statutory Provisions

s.sch003a

OFFENCES: MODE OF TRIAL AND MAXIMUM PENALTY

s.sch008

Transitional Provisions with respect to Fire Certificates under Factories Act 1961 or Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963

s.sch009

The Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926

Other sections — not classified into a Part

These sections exist in the Act but the contents-of-Parts walker did not place them under a Part. Likely amendments or sections inserted out of the original Part structure.

Browse 3 other unclassified sections

s.014

Power of the Commission to direct investigations and inquiries.

s.016

Approval of codes of practice by the Executive.

s.043

Railway safety levy

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

HMRC: customs and freight (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Taxi and private hire licensing (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
DVSA: vehicle operators (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
HSE — tree work (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
Forestry Commission (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Set up and run a safe warehousing and storage operation (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Which warehousing and transport support rules apply to your business (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Ofcom: telecoms regulation (opens in a new tab) from Ofcom Detailed Guidance
HSE: warehousing and storage (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
HSE: workplace transport (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
... and 296 more

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

HSE

Primary

Health and Safety Executive

Workplace health, safety, and welfare regulation across all industries. Enforces the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations. Investigates …

Connected legislation

28 statutory instruments

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Secondary legislation (28)

+ 13 more statutory instruments

Explore more

Browse legislation

Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.

Regulators

Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.