Category: Health benefits · Reviewed by Jake Leat, Associate Director · Last reviewed 2026-06-10
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the UK’s national independent regulator for workplace health, safety and illness. It is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The HSE enforces the Act and most associated regulations, provides guidance, conducts research, and publishes statistics on workplace health and safety.
Category: Health benefits Also known as: HSE Established: 1974 (under HSWA 1974) Related concepts: Employer’s occupational health obligation, Occupational health service, Stress claim employer
The HSE has wide enforcement powers including issuing improvement notices and prohibition notices, prosecuting offences under HSWA and ancillary regulations, and (in cooperation with the Crown Prosecution Service or the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) bringing serious cases to trial. Local authority environmental health departments share enforcement jurisdiction for premises not covered by the HSE (e.g. offices, shops, hotels).
Established under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the HSE’s functions are continued and updated by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR; SI 2013/1471), and many sector-specific regulations. The HSE publishes Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs) which, while not law, are admissible in court as evidence of expected standards.
The HSE publishes guidance and research on many areas relevant to employee benefit and occupational health practice — including the HSE Management Standards for work-related stress, the HSE Stress Indicator Tool, DSE guidance, COSHH guidance, and the L26 series of regulatory L-guides.
An employer experiences a serious workplace injury reportable under RIDDOR. The employer notifies the HSE within the required period; the HSE investigates and concludes that the employer’s stress risk assessment was inadequate. The HSE issues an Improvement Notice requiring the employer to put in place a stress risk assessment consistent with the HSE Management Standards within three months.
This entry is part of the Apex Insurance Wiki. Last reviewed by Matt Bartlett on 2026-06-10. Next review: 2026-12-10.
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