Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Overview

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (also referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA) is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. It sets out the general duties which:

• Employers have towards employees and members of the public
• Employees have to themselves and to each other
• Certain self-employed have towards themselves and others

Employers, employees, the self-employed, designers, importers, manufacturers and suppliers all fall within the scope of the Act and may be vulnerable if they do not conform to it. However, only a few sections of the Act place duties on employers or employees. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 also works in conjunction with other legislation, one of which is the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.