Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

4.10.2 Legislation and enforcement
Good comprehensible legislation should have a positive 
effect on health and safety standards. Taken together 
legislation and enforcement can affect standards by:
➤
providing a level to which every employer has to 
conform
➤
insisting on minimum standards which also enhances 
peoples’ ability to operate and perform well
➤
providing a tough, visible threat of getting shut down 
or a heavy fi ne
➤
stifl ing development by being too prescriptive. For 
example, woodworking machines did not develop 
quickly in the 20th century, partly because the regula-
tions were so detailed in their requirements that new 
designs were not feasible
➤
providing well presented and easily read guidance 
for specifi c industries at reasonable cost or free.
On the other hand a weak enforcement regime can have 
a powerful negative effect on standards.
4.10.3 Insurance 
companies
Insurance companies can infl uence health and safety 
standards mainly through fi nancial incentives. Employers’ 
liability insurance is a legal requirement in the UK 
and therefore all employers have to obtain this type of 
insurance cover. Insurance companies can infl uence 
standards through:
➤
discounting premiums to those in the safest sectors 
or best individual companies
➤
insisting on risk reduction improvements to remain 
insured. This is not very effective where competition 
for business is fi erce
➤
encouraging risk reduction improvements by bund-
ling services into the insurance premium
➤
providing guidance on standards at reasonable cost 
or free.
4.10.4 Trade 
unions
Trade unions can infl uence standards by:
➤
providing training and education for members
➤
providing guidance and advice cheaply or free to 
members
➤
infl 
uencing governments to regulate, enhance 
enforcement activities and provide guidance
➤
infl uencing employers to provide high standards for 
their members. This is sometimes confused with 
fi nancial improvements with health and safety get-
ting a lower priority
➤
encouraging members to work for safer employers
➤
helping members to get proper compensation for 
injury and ill-health if it is caused through their work.