What Is Occupational Health and Safety? A Complete Guide for UK and Global Employers

Understanding the principles, legal requirements and business benefits of effective workplace safety management

Published by Arinite Health & Safety Consultants | February 2026 | 12 min read

Every year, 2.78 million workers die from work-related accidents and diseases worldwide. In the UK alone, 1.9 million workers suffered from work-related ill health in 2024/25, while 124 people lost their lives at work. The economic cost? An estimated £22.9 billion annually in injuries and ill health from current working conditions.

These are not just statistics. Behind every number is a person, a family, a team affected by preventable harm. Occupational health and safety exists to change these outcomes, protecting the people who power our organisations while creating the conditions for businesses to thrive.

Whether you are a UK employer seeking to understand your legal obligations, an international organisation establishing global safety standards, or a professional looking to deepen your knowledge, this guide explains what occupational health and safety means, why it matters, and how to implement it effectively.

What Is Occupational Health and Safety?

Occupational health and safety (OHS), also known as occupational safety and health (OSH) or workplace health and safety (WHS), is the discipline concerned with protecting the health, safety and welfare of people at work. It encompasses the policies, procedures, systems and practices that organisations implement to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) define occupational health as dealing with "all aspects of health and safety in the workplace, with a strong focus on primary prevention of hazards." This definition emphasises that effective occupational health and safety is proactive rather than reactive, identifying and controlling risks before they cause harm.

Occupational health and safety covers three interconnected areas:

Occupational safety focuses on preventing acute injuries from workplace accidents such as falls, machinery incidents, electrical hazards and vehicle collisions. These are typically sudden events with immediate, visible consequences.

Occupational health addresses work-related diseases and conditions that develop over time, including respiratory illnesses from hazardous substances, musculoskeletal disorders from manual handling, hearing loss from noise exposure, and mental health conditions such as work-related stress, anxiety and depression.

Occupational wellbeing encompasses broader factors affecting worker welfare, including work-life balance, workplace culture, psychological safety and the conditions that enable people to perform at their best.

Why Does Occupational Health and Safety Matter?

The Human Case

The most fundamental reason for occupational health and safety is ethical: people should not be harmed by their work. Every worker has the right to return home safe and healthy at the end of each day. When organisations fail to manage workplace risks, the consequences fall on real people: injuries that cause lasting pain and disability, diseases that shorten lives, mental health conditions that affect relationships and quality of life, and fatalities that devastate families.

The Legal Case

In the UK, health and safety is governed primarily by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and supporting regulations including the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. These laws place clear duties on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees and others who may be affected by their work activities.

Failure to comply can result in enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), including improvement notices, prohibition notices, prosecution and unlimited fines. In the most serious cases, particularly where failures cause death, individual directors and managers can face personal prosecution and imprisonment.

Internationally, most countries have their own occupational health and safety legislation. The ILO's Occupational Safety and Health Convention (C155) and its 2022 recognition of a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work have strengthened the global framework. Organisations operating across borders must understand and comply with the specific requirements of each jurisdiction where they have employees.

The Business Case

Beyond ethics and legal compliance, there is a compelling business case for effective occupational health and safety:

• Reduced costs from workplace injuries and ill health, including sick pay, recruitment, training replacements and lost productivity
• Lower insurance premiums through demonstrated risk management
• Improved employee morale, engagement and retention when people feel their employer cares about their wellbeing
• Enhanced reputation with customers, investors and supply chain partners who increasingly scrutinise safety performance
• Better operational performance, as safe workplaces tend to be well-organised and efficiently run
• Reduced risk of costly regulatory enforcement, legal claims and reputational damage

Research consistently shows that organisations with strong safety cultures outperform their peers. The HSE estimates that the cost of workplace injuries and ill health to UK employers is £22.9 billion annually. Effective occupational health and safety management reduces this burden while creating competitive advantage.

Common Workplace Hazards

Workplace hazards are conditions, activities or substances with the potential to cause harm. Effective risk assessment involves identifying these hazards, evaluating the risks they present, and implementing appropriate controls. The main categories of workplace hazards include:

Physical Hazards

Physical hazards are environmental factors that can cause injury without necessarily requiring direct contact. They include slips, trips and falls (the most common cause of non-fatal workplace injuries in the UK), working at height, moving vehicles and machinery, noise, vibration, extreme temperatures, radiation and poor lighting. Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for nearly half of all construction deaths.

Chemical Hazards

Chemical hazards arise from exposure to hazardous substances that can cause acute or chronic health effects. In the UK, these are regulated under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). Common examples include cleaning products, solvents, paints, pesticides, dust, fumes and gases. Exposure can occur through inhalation, skin contact or ingestion, causing effects ranging from skin irritation to respiratory disease and cancer. Asbestos-related diseases continue to cause thousands of deaths annually from historical exposures.

Biological Hazards

Biological hazards include bacteria, viruses, fungi and other organisms that can cause infection or disease. Healthcare workers, laboratory staff, agricultural workers and those handling waste are at particular risk. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how biological hazards can affect all workplaces, driving unprecedented changes in working practices and infection control measures.

Ergonomic Hazards

Ergonomic hazards result from poorly designed work that puts strain on the body. Manual handling (lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling) is a major cause of musculoskeletal disorders, affecting over 500,000 UK workers annually. Repetitive movements, awkward postures, prolonged standing or sitting, and inadequate workstation setup (particularly for display screen equipment users) can all cause cumulative damage to muscles, tendons, nerves and joints.

Psychosocial Hazards

Psychosocial hazards affect mental health and psychological wellbeing. Work-related stress, anxiety and depression now account for over half of all work-related ill health in the UK, with 964,000 workers affected in 2024/25. Contributing factors include excessive workload, lack of control, poor support, unclear roles, organisational change, bullying, harassment and poor work-life balance. These conditions result in significant absence, reduced performance and, in severe cases, self-harm.

Key Elements of Effective Occupational Health and Safety Management

Effective occupational health and safety is not achieved through paperwork alone. It requires a systematic approach that integrates safety into every aspect of business operations. The HSE's HSG65 guidance and the ISO 45001 international standard both advocate a Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle for continuous improvement.

Leadership and Commitment

Safety starts at the top. Senior leaders must visibly demonstrate their commitment to health and safety, allocating adequate resources, setting clear expectations and holding themselves and others accountable. When leaders prioritise safety in their decisions, communications and behaviours, it signals to everyone that safety matters.

Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is the foundation of health and safety management. UK law requires employers to conduct suitable and sufficient assessments of the risks to which employees and others are exposed. This involves identifying hazards, evaluating who might be harmed and how, determining what controls are needed, implementing those controls, and reviewing regularly. Risk assessments should be proportionate to the complexity and level of risk involved.

Policies and Procedures

Written health and safety policies document the organisation's commitment and arrangements for managing safety. UK employers with five or more employees are legally required to have a written health and safety policy. Beyond this legal minimum, effective organisations develop procedures, safe systems of work and guidance that translate policy into practical action for specific activities and hazards.

Training and Competence

People need the knowledge and skills to work safely. This requires appropriate induction for new starters, job-specific training for hazardous activities, regular refresher training to maintain competence, and specialist training for those with particular safety responsibilities. Training should be practical and relevant, delivered by competent trainers and backed by ongoing supervision and support.

Worker Involvement

Workers have direct knowledge of the hazards they face daily. Effective safety management involves consulting workers on health and safety matters, encouraging them to report hazards and near misses, and acting on their input. Safety representatives and committees provide formal mechanisms for worker participation. When people feel their voice is heard, they are more likely to engage positively with safety.

Monitoring and Review

Organisations need to check that their safety arrangements are working. This includes active monitoring (inspections, audits, safety tours) to verify that controls are in place and effective, and reactive monitoring (investigating incidents, analysing trends) to learn from failures. Regular management review ensures that safety performance is evaluated and improvements are identified.

The UK Legal Framework for Occupational Health and Safety

The UK has one of the most developed health and safety regulatory systems in the world, built on decades of legislation and enforcement. Understanding this framework is essential for UK employers and those operating internationally who employ workers in Britain.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) is the primary legislation governing workplace health and safety in Great Britain. It establishes general duties on employers to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees and others, duties on employees to take care of themselves and cooperate with their employer, and duties on designers, manufacturers and suppliers of articles and substances for use at work.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

These regulations require employers to:

• Conduct risk assessments
• Make arrangements for effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of preventive measures
• Appoint competent persons to assist with health and safety
• Establish emergency procedures
• Provide health and safety information to employees
• Cooperate with other employers sharing workplaces
• Ensure employees have adequate health and safety training

Other Key Regulations

Numerous specific regulations address particular hazards and activities:

• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992: workplace conditions, facilities and environment
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992: controlling risks from lifting and carrying
• Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992: workstation assessment for computer users
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH): managing chemical risks
• Work at Height Regulations 2005: preventing falls from height
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR): mandatory incident reporting
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: fire risk assessment and management

Occupational Health and Safety: The International Perspective

For organisations operating across borders, occupational health and safety presents both challenges and opportunities. Regulatory requirements vary significantly between countries, from the prescriptive standards of the EU and US to the more framework-based approaches of other jurisdictions. Cultural attitudes to safety, enforcement practices and worker expectations also differ.

The ILO provides an international framework through conventions such as C155 (Occupational Safety and Health Convention) and C187 (Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention). In 2022, the ILO recognised a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work, elevating its status alongside freedom from forced labour, child labour, discrimination and the right to organise.

ISO 45001, the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems, provides a globally recognised framework that organisations can use to demonstrate their commitment regardless of location. Certification to ISO 45001 is increasingly expected by multinational clients, supply chain partners and investors.

Global organisations benefit from establishing corporate minimum standards that apply across all operations, while ensuring compliance with local requirements in each jurisdiction. This requires understanding of regulatory landscapes in every country of operation and the flexibility to adapt global approaches to local contexts.

How Arinite Supports Occupational Health and Safety

At Arinite, we help organisations build and maintain effective occupational health and safety management. Our team of Chartered (CMIOSH) consultants brings over 500 years of combined experience across virtually every industry and challenge.

Our services include:

• Risk assessment: comprehensive workplace assessments including fire, COSHH, manual handling, DSE and stress
• Health and safety policy development: tailored documentation that reflects your actual operations
• Compliance audits: objective evaluation of your arrangements against legal requirements and best practice
• Health and safety management systems: ISO 45001 implementation and certification support
• Training: practical programmes that build competence at all levels
• Incident investigation: thorough root cause analysis and corrective action
• Ongoing retained support: expert guidance when you need it, without the overhead of a full-time hire

With experience supporting over 1,500 UK businesses and operations in more than 50 countries, we understand the challenges organisations face in managing occupational health and safety. Our approach is practical, proportionate and focused on what works. We call it "Keeping It Simple".