Health and Safety Law

An introduction to health and safety at work for new and small businesses.

Health and safety is about preventing people from being harmed or becoming ill through work.

This is so important that the law says we must not put ourselves, other workers or the public in danger.

Health and safety law applies to all businesses, however small. The law covers:

• all employees - full or part-time, temporary or permanent

• self-employed people

• young people doing work experience

• apprentices

• charity workers

• mobile workers and homeworkers

• temps or casual workers from agencies

Health and safety does not have to be expensive, time consuming or complicated. The online tools and publications in this section can help you.

See Getting Started to find 10 key things you must do to manage health and safety and comply with the law.

See Safety Topics to find out how to deal with particular hazards or problems in your workplace, to prevent accidents and ill health.