Workplace safety

This subtopic contains information on the regulatory requirements relating to health and safety in an office-based workplace, including in relation to display screen equipment. It also contains practical guidance on how to manage health and safety in the workplace and tools relating to key personnel and external visits.

Legislative requirements

Various pieces of legislation exist in relation to health and safety in the workplace.

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA 1974) is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety.

In summary, as an employer, an organisation has a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees at work and others who may be affected by what it does or does not do.

In particular, an organisation’s duty extends, so far as is reasonably practicable, to:

  1. ensuring the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health

  2. having arrangements in place for ensuring safety and absence of risks to health in connection

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Powered by Lexis+®
Latest Risk & Compliance News

ICO publishes letter on progress against economic growth commitments and work planned for 2026

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade setting out a one-year update on its five economic growth commitments made in January 2025. These commitments are to: (1) give businesses regulatory certainty on artificial intelligence (AI); (2) cut costs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); (3) enable greater innovation through its Regulatory Sandbox and Innovation Advice services; (4) unlock privacy-preserving online advertising; and (5) make it quicker and easier to transfer data internationally. The letter confirms that the ICO is working with the government on legislation to introduce a statutory code of practice on AI and automated decision-making, and that its expanded data essentials platform for SMEs is due to launch in spring 2026. It also states that the ICO has secured funding to design an experimentation regime to support the testing of emerging technologies, with research findings due by mid-February 2026. In addition, the ICO says it is assessing low-risk online advertising activities that could operate without consent under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and will provide evidence to the government in the spring. The letter also highlights that the ICO published updated guidance on international data transfers in January 2026, aimed at simplifying requirements and supporting cross-border data flows, which underpin around 40% of UK exports. The ICO adds that it will continue to issue further guidance and improve regulatory clarity throughout 2026.

View Risk & Compliance by content type :

Popular documents