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Regulatory Excellence

HSE's health and safety system is well respected not only in Great Britain but also worldwide.

Our experts can work with you to design and implement robust regulatory systems for overseas governments or within novel, safety critical industries.

We work internationally

Workplace health and safety has been regulated in Great Britain since the Factories Act of 1833 and by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the independent government regulator, since 1975. HSE's primary legislation, the Health and Safety at Word Act (1974), is regarded internationally as an exemplar in excellent regulatory practice, underpinned by robust scientific evidence provided by the HSE Science and Research Centre in Buxton, Derbyshire.

HSE partners with governments, regulators and leading organisations to prevent work related fatalities, injuries and ill health by sharing the extensive knowledge, experience and facilities developed over the years. HSE typically supports international partners by;

  • Undertaking Regulatory Reviews by a team of Her Majesty's Principal/Senior Inspectors which assess current performance and highlight areas for improvement when compared to international best practices and standards. Initial feedback is provided after the review, followed by a more detailed presentation and finally a written report
  • Bespoke practical support to drive continual improvement
  • Sharing the facilities / expertise of the HSE Science and Research Centre
  • Supporting investigation of major incidents
  • Training investigators and inspectors

 

The benefits of improving workplace health and safety regulation fall into the three following categories;

1. Economic benefits

  • Increase GDP by avoiding costly incidents
  • Increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by offering robust regulatory protection for investors
  • Enable infrastructure development on time and on budget
  • Reduce costs associated with healthcare for injured/ill workforce

2. Political benefits

  • Prevention of death, injuries and ill health
  • Good for diplomatic relationships with developed economies
  • Improved image on world stage

3. Moral benefits

  • Ensuring that people can earn a living without having to sacrifice their health or safety to do so

 

This breadth of expertise underpins our strength in building multidisciplinary teams to create practical, useful solutions.

 

HSE partners with leading organisations worldwide that take advantage of our products and services. Contact our International Team for more information: internationalsolutions@hse.gov.uk


As a regulator, HSE also has a role internationally:

For more information on how HSE works internationally to prevent work related fatalities, injuries and ill health contact the International and Trade Policy Team at: HSEInternational@hse.gov.uk

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