As the ongoing Brexit saga hits another crunchpoint today, I am being asked regularly what impact Brexit will have on health and safety law and management in the United Kingdom.
Many may not realise, but most European health and safety laws originated in one way or another in the UK. We have led the way in ensuring that not only our workforce is safe, but so is that of the rest of Europe. For years Britain has led the world with health and safety. Heavy fines, good enforcement, and good management of health and safety mean that the UK has one of the best accident records of any country in the world. Thankfully that will continue. Whatever happens with Brexit, a piece of law entered Statute in 2018 that means all current laws will continue to apply to the UK after we leave the EU. The Health and Safety (Amendment)(EU Exit) Regulations 2018 ensures that all existing workforce protection under law will remain in place.
This can only be a good thing. More on the new law can be found at https://www.gov.uk/eu-withdrawal-act-2018-statutory-instruments/the-health-and-safety-amendment-eu-exit-regulations-2018
The Health and Safety Executive has more information on its website at https://www.hse.gov.uk/brexit/maintaining-standards.htm
The future of good health and safety practice in the UK now looks good.