Health and safety for businesses: Regulations

An employer is responsible for making sure that working conditions comply with legal requirements. 

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations

These regulations require an employer to:

  • Carry out an assessment of the significant risks within the workplace
  • Make arrangements for implementing the health and safety measures, as identified in the risk assessments.
  • Appoint competent people to implement the arrangements.
  • Set up emergency procedures.
  • Provide information and training to employees. 
  • Co-operate with other employers sharing the same workplace

Find out more about the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (external website)

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations

Employers have duty to ensure that their employees’ health, safety and welfare are not put at risk. The Workplace Regulations make sure that employers meet requirements that protect their staff when conducting their work. 

Find out more about the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations (external website)

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER)

All lifting equipment must have a thorough examination and inspection, if the lifting equipment lifts people this must be undertaken every 6 months and for any other lifting equipment it must be every 12 months. The person undertaking the inspection and examination must be inspected by a competent person. 

Find out more about LOLER (external website)

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)

There are certain types of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences that must be reported e.g. any fracture other than to fingers, thumbs or toes and vessels failing to close on pressure systems.

Find out about all the injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences that must be reported (external website). 

You can report an incident to the Health and Safety Executive online (external website) or over the phone. 

Once the form is completed it will be sent to the RIDDOR database, this will then be allocated to the enforcing authority of the business which has reported the injury, disease or dangerous occurrence. An accident investigation may be undertaken by that enforcing authority. 

Find out more about RIDDOR (external website)

Electricity at Work Regulations 

An employer must make sure that any electrical appliances, fixtures or installations do not cause danger to any person who may come into contact with them. The type of installation/building will dictate how often the fixed electrical installation needs to be inspected by a competent person i.e. electricians who are registered with NICEIC or Electrical Contractors Association and any other equivalent bodies. 

Find out more about the Electricity at Work Regulations (external website)

Control of Asbestos Regulations

Every duty holder (person who by contract or tenancy has a duty for the repair and maintenance of the building) must produce a plan with the following information:

  • Details on the asbestos found (location, type and condition). 
  • Measures that must be taken to control the asbestos.
  • How the asbestos will be monitored. 
  • Provide the plan to any person who may come into contact with the asbestos i.e. contractors.

The duty holder must review and revise the plan when necessary, as well as implement and record the changes to any measures stated. 

Find out more about the Control of Asbestos Regulations (external website)

Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations

An employer must provide equipment and facilities that are adequate and appropriate for enabling first-aid to be rendered to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. The minimum required is that there is a responsible person to be in charge of the first aid box and to call the emergency services if needed. All staff must know who the responsible person is.

Find out more about the Health and Safety Regulations (external website)

Other Regulations

  • Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000.
  • Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. 
  • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. 
  • Work at Height Regulations 2005. 
  • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. 
  • Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

There may be other regulations which apply to your business for further information visit the HSE website (external website).