The Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998 allocate responsibility for enforcing health and safety law between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities in Great Britain. The Regulations provide a clear framework for determining which authority is responsible for enforcement in different types of workplaces and activities, ensuring consistency, avoiding duplication, and supporting effective regulatory oversight.
Effective enforcement of health and safety law requires clarity over which authority has jurisdiction in a given workplace. These Regulations were made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and replace earlier enforcement allocation arrangements. They establish a structured approach based primarily on the nature of the work activity carried out at premises, rather than the employer’s corporate identity. The Regulations apply in England, Wales, and Scotland.
Benefits of compliance:
