Health and safety at work

Employers are responsible for managing health and safety risks at work under the law that applies to their workplace. Workers also have responsibilities to follow safety instructions and report hazards.

Employers’ responsibilities

Employers should identify risks, provide suitable instructions and training, and make arrangements for reporting and dealing with incidents. The controls needed depend on the work and the risks involved.

Report a concern

Tell your manager or the person responsible for workplace safety if you see a hazard, unsafe equipment or an unsafe working practice. Give the location, what happened and any immediate risk.

Follow the workplace’s accident and incident reporting procedure. In an immediate real-world emergency, contact the real emergency services.

Get advice or report a regulatory concern

The Health and Safety Executive has regulatory and enforcement responsibilities in the areas covered by its legal powers. Not every workplace concern is a matter for enforcement.

For support with workplace adjustments, see Rights and responsibilities at work.