Health and safety at work encompasses a wide range of duties and responsibilities aimed at maintaining a safe working environment for employees. There are many relevant pieces of legislation and case law.

In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive is the government agency which advises on legislation and guidance, and enforces them.

There have been additional challenges for many organisations during the pandemic, including protecting people's mental health.

The current challenge is implementing effective hybrid working, including encouraging people back to a workplace whilst managing workplace safety.

Employers still have a duty to protect people from harm. The government’s guidance for Living with COVID-19  outlines the steps for removing the remaining restrictions while protecting people most vulnerable to infection.

Employers are no longer required by the HSE to consider COVID-19 in their risk assessment or to have specific measures in place. However, the HSE says that employers may still choose to continue to cover COVID-19 in their risk assessments.

See the HSE’s advice for people who may be at higher risk such as those who are immunosuppressed.

Contacts

CIPD members can call our employment law helpline provided by Croner which covers advice on health and safety matters.

Health and Safety Executive – health and safety legislation – laws in the workplace

Health and Safety Executive – guidance

Health and Safety Executive – corporate manslaughter

Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) - information and resources, and a free health and safety helpline

Acas – health and the workplace

British Safety Council

Books and reports

STRANKS, J. (2016) Health and safety at work: an essential guide for managers. 10th ed. London: Kogan Page.

Tolley's health and safety at work handbook 2021 (2020). 33rd ed. London: Tolley.

Visit the CIPD and Kogan Page Bookshop to see all our priced publications currently in print.

Journal articles

CATTELL, F. (2018) Why health and safety is a job for HR. People Management (online). 25 September.

DEVERY, H. (2019) Is health and safety legislation working? People Management (online). 19 June.

SUNDERLAND, B. (2017) Ensuring legal safety for gig economy workers. People Management (online). 6 Feb.

CIPD members can use our online journals to find articles from over 300 journal titles relevant to HR.

Members and People Management subscribers can see articles on the People Management website.