Duty of the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Great Britain's national independent regulator for workplace health, safety, and illness. Its core duty:

"To protect people at work and those affected by work activities."

Key Functions

• Inspection & Enforcement: Visits workplaces; serves improvement/prohibition notices; prosecutes serious breaches.
• Guidance & Standards: Publishes Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs), guidance (L-series, HSG-series).
• Policy & Research: Advises ministers; commissions scientific research (HSL).
• Licensing: Nuclear, explosives, asbestos, biological agents, offshore.
• Investigation: Major incidents (e.g., Grenfell, Piper Alpha).

HSE covers England, Scotland, Wales. Northern Ireland has HSENI. Local authorities enforce in lower-risk sectors (retail, offices).