What is the Health and Safety Executive?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the independent body responsible for health and safety policy, and the enforcement of health and safety law in the UK. It:

• promotes safer working practices, advising employers and workers on health and safety
• carries out relevant research
• develops health and safety policy and strategy
• ensures compliance with health and safety law through inspections, investigations and prosecutions.

Some workplaces are covered by local council environmental health officers rather than HSE inspectors, but they enforce health and safety law in the same way.

For more information visit the HSE website hse.gov.uk.