February 11, 2025
Established by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month, having been officially launched on January 1, 1975. Over the past five decades, HSE has been pivotal in reducing workplace deaths and injuries, contributing to Great Britain becoming one of the safest places to work globally. In 1974, 651 employees lost their lives at work; HSE’s latest annual statistics for 2023/24 show that this number has dropped to 138.
Sarah Albon, Chief Executive of HSE, noted that while the nature of Britain’s workplaces has transformed over the past 50 years, the regulator’s mission remains as relevant as ever. She said: “Over the last half-century, the Health and Safety Executive has been at the forefront of making Great Britain a safe place to work. As we look to the future, we recognize there are still many challenges for HSE to tackle.”
“We’re proud of the progress made over the last 50 years, but we acknowledge that every work-related death is a tragedy, and too many workers still suffer ill-health caused by their work.”
“In 2022, we launched our 10-year strategy, Protecting People and Places, to build on HSE’s strong foundations and address the challenges ahead.”
“Today, HSE’s role extends beyond worker protection to include public safety across various issues. In recent years, we’ve taken on new responsibilities, such as becoming the appointed Building Safety Regulator and taking a broader role in chemical regulation post-Brexit.”
“While it’s difficult to predict what the future of work will look like in the next 50 years, our core principle remains the same: those who create risks must take responsibility for controlling them, and those who fail to do so will be held accountable.”
“We will continue working with businesses, industry, regulators, and government to enable strong economic growth while delivering on our founding principles of protecting people and places.”
Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, commented: “I’m pleased to wish a very happy 50th anniversary to the Health and Safety Executive. Over the past 50 years, this organization has been central to efforts to protect people and places across Britain, and I’d like to thank them for their essential work. As we support more people entering work through our Get Britain Working White Paper, and strengthen protections for workers, HSE’s mission will remain vital for the future.”
