The legal responsibilities of both employers and employees

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 was passed as a result of recommendations made by the Royal Commission and, therefore, the Act puts legal responsibility for safety at work on both the employer and employee. 

The Health and Safety at Work Act provides a legal framework for stimulating and encouraging high standards of health and safety for everyone at work and the public at large from risks arising from work activities. The Act was a result of recommendations made by a Royal Commission in 1970 which looked at the health and safety of employees at work, and concluded that the main cause of accidents was apathy on the part of employer and employee. The new Act places the responsibility for safety at work on both the employer and the employee. 

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