The Health and Safety at Work Act

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The Health and Safety at Work Act is the term used to describe the regulations set out by various governmental agencies and organizations that deal specifically with the protection of workers from harm at work. The Act was introduced in 1970 and its main aim was to protect the welfare of workers.

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The Health and Safety Regulations set out a series of measures and reporting guidelines, many of which have been incorporated into UK law through the years. While this still applies to workplaces in the United Kingdom, there have been considerable changes elsewhere in the world, particularly in other developed countries, and the United States and Canada have both introduced wide-ranging changes to their respective national laws. For example, in Australia, the Hawke’s Law, which was introduced in 1993, makes it a criminal offence to be guilty of an unsafe work environment.

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This is obviously a very important issue and one that all workers should be concerned about. There are a range of risks to be taken into account at work. Not only are there risks to the health and wellbeing of the workers themselves, but there are also risks to their families and friends. This can include exposure to potentially harmful materials and substances, such as lead paint or asbestos, and there can be serious and long-term consequences for those who are working in potentially hazardous conditions. These consequences include reduced working capacity, loss of income and opportunities, and so on.

The Act is very in depth and many companies use the services of a Occupational Health Wales such as Insight Occupational health to help them ensure that they are doing all they can to not only stay within the parameters of the Act but also to look after their employees to the best of their ability.

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