What next after 50 years of progress?

Half a century since the implementation of the Health and Safety at Work Act in Great Britain, our panel debate explores its impact. We'll look ahead to the future, examining what – if anything – needs to change to ensure the Act is fit for purpose.

The Act gained royal assent on 31 July 1974 and came into force in October 1974. It provided a framework for managing health and safety and protecting people at work, as well as others impacted by that work. It marked a move away from the previous prescriptive legislation, setting out clear requirements for employers. The five decades that have followed have seen a reduction in recorded fatalities at work. It has also influenced the creation of similar legislation in other countries, including Singapore.

We’ll look back at that with our panel while we’ll also look forward. There is little doubt that the way we work has changed significantly in the past 50 years. We want to find out what this means for the Act. Is this goal setting and risk-based legislation still fit for purpose? Or does it need to be completely changed, slightly tweaked – or something in the middle?

Open to all. You do not have to be an IOSH member.