Health and Safety at Work Act turns 40 this year

Written by Matthew Pattinson

August 12th, 2014

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Health and Safety Executive chair, Judith Hackitt, has described the Health and Safety at Work Act as “one of the best” pieces of legislation ever inscribed into the statute books.

Ms Hackitt was writing in her regular HSE blog as the Act prepares to turn 40 years of age.

Whilst the legislation is “often misunderstood and misinterpreted”, it has “protected millions of British workers and driven sharp reductions in incidents of occupational death, serious injury and ill health”, she said.

Back in 1974, fatalities to employees covered by the then legislation stood at 651, a notable contrast to 2012/13 which was down to 148 for employees and self employed combined.

Ms Hackitt explained: “The actual reduction is probably more than this as data for sectors not covered by health and safety law pre 1974 was not collected. In the same time frame (and with the same caveat) non-fatal injuries have dropped by more than 75 percent.”

Whilst there “is still room for improvement”, the inception of the ACT 40 years earlier had brought about “remarkable” change.

1974 was the time to ACT

Prior to the 1974 ACT, the legislative health and safety landscape looked rather different. It was bounded by a raft of different regulations, some industries “swamped with prescriptive rules and others with little or no regulation at all”, she recalled.

“Something needed to be done”

The Health and Safety at Work Act emanated from the 1972 Robens Report which concluded there were too many regulations.

Ms Hackitt commented: “The Act that emerged from his review swept away detailed and prescriptive industry regulations; it created a flexible system where regulations describe goals and principles, supported by codes of practice and guidance.

“Based on consultation and engagement, the new regime was designed to deliver a proportionate, targeted and risk-based approach.”

Four decades on, she added, this approach still applies. “Despite having diversified away from an economy based predominantly on heavy industry and manufacturing, much of the original vision and framework of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 remains relevant.”

Ms Hackitt said the principles of the ACT have been applied time and again and that the “legacy is a safety record envied around the world”.

Health and Safety at Work Act turns 40 this year

1974 was the time to ACT

“Something needed to be done”

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