What are the main health and safety laws?
Your legal rights to health and safety at work are found in a range of legislation and legal rights: • The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This sets out your employer’s statutory duties. • Regulations, guidance and Approved Codes of Practice (ACoP) made under this Act. These cover work processes, like using a computer or manual handling, and also cover specific hazards, like working with chemicals. Employers have to comply with Regulations, and are expected to apply other advice and guidance. • Employment rights legislation. These are your employment protection rights. • Your common law rights. These are basic legal duties on your employer. • Your employment contract, staff handbook and company procedures.
