It is 40 years since the Health and Safety at Work Act received Royal Assent, providing a new regulatory framework for work place health and safety in Great Britain.

These Regulations, often abbreviated to PUWER, place duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over work equipment. PUWER also places responsibilities on businesses and organisations whose employees use work equipment, whether owned by them or not.

PUWER requires that equipment provided for use at work is:

• suitable for the intended use
• safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness. It acts in the public interest to reduce work-related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces.

Official HSE Statement -

At the Health and Safety Executive, we believe everyone has the right to come home safe and well from their job.  That’s why our mission is to prevent work-related death, injury and ill health. 

We are proud of the support we provide to businesses – through free guidance and advice. By giving employers the confidence to manage risks correctly, we boost productivity, support the economy and contribute to a fairer society.

HSE helps workers understand how they can stay safe and well.              

With roots stretching back to 1833 the modern HSE is an independent regulator with over forty years’ experience helping Great Britain work well. Using world leading science we have helped protect millions of people from devastating injury and suffering.

HSE leads the way, but doesn’t act alone. Everyone has a part to play - employers, unions, trade associations, professional bodies, academics and others.

Working in partnership is one of our strengths. It’s at the heart of how we protect workers and the public.         

We concentrate on the most serious risks. We target industries with the greatest hazards, and sectors with the worst risk management record.

We are firm and fair when using our legal powers. Inspection helps us check that serious risks are managed sensibly. When things go wrong, investigation helps us get to the truth and learn lessons.

We hold employers to account for their failures and get answers for victims and make workplaces safer.             

The world of work is always changing. We use science to understand these changes. And that understanding helps us all prepare for the workplaces of tomorrow...so Great Britain continues to be one of the safest and best places to work and do business.      

We are the Health and Safety Executive.