22 August 2016

UK’s high health and safety standards will remain post-Brexit

The UK has lead the way in health and safety, it has the best health & safety records in Europe and we have a worldwide reputation for reducing work-related injuries. Even though there are many EU regulations and red tape, the UK’s high health and safety standards are unlikely to change following Brexit.

From a health and safety point of view, it’s really important for people not to expect extensive changes in the way that health and safety is regulated.

Although the Brexit vote has triggered speculation about the future of UK Health and Safety law due to the majority of our laws being based on EU directives, we must not forget that the British government had input into those very directives being prepared.

The main statute for UK legislation is the Health and Safety at Work Act, and in the future there might be fewer new regulations, but as far as health and safety experts are concerned, things will carry on as normal.

What Brexit will do, is give the government an opportunity to review the laws that are in place and create new regulations or address those that need changing. But on the whole, companies know that health and safety is an important part of good business.

Ensuring that we continue to apply our effective risk-based management systems, we will maintain current standards and protect the health and safety of workers in the UK.