The Health & Safety Act 1974 states that employers cannot delegate or sub-contract their Health & Safety responsibilities and must provide employees with:
- A Safe Place of Work
- Sale Plant and Equipment
- Safe Access and Egress
- Safe Systems of Work
Section 40 of the acts says that in the event of a prosecution an employer would be guilty until they prove their innocence.
“In any proceedings for an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions which consist of a failure to comply with a duty or requirement to do something ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’ or ‘best practicable means’ it shall be for ‘the accused’ to prove that it was neither practicable nor reasonably practicable to do more than was, in fact done to satisfy the duty or requirement, or that there was no better practicable means than that which was in fact used to satisfy that duty or requirement.” – Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – Section 40
