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The main Act of Parliament dealing with safety at work is the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA). There are also numerous regulations made under the Act and a number of other Acts outside the scope of this note. For a more detailed discussion of those regulations, see Tolley's Employment Law Service, paras H2001–H20117.

Under the HSWA, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was established. The HSE monitors and enforces safety standards, and seeks to promote and improve workplace safety. The HSE website contains a wealth of information and resources for employers.

In addition to these statutory obligations, an employer is under a common law duty to take such steps as are reasonably necessary to ensure the safety of its employees. An employer’s duty includes the following:

1. •

   providing a safe place of work

2. •

   providing a safe mean of access to the place of work

3. •

   providing safe plant and equipment

4. •

   providing a safe system of work

5. •

   employing competent fellow employees, and

6. •

   protecting employees