HSC and HSE Merger

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have merged to form a single national regulatory body.

Originally, the two were established as separate, non-departmental bodies with working practices and delegated powers established in such a way as to distance the HSC from the day-to-day workings of the HSE. However, following extensive consultation and through the process determined by the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006, the decision was taken to merge the two bodies in order to provide greater clarity and consistency in promoting better health and safety at work, whilst maintaining public accountability. The merged body will be called the HSE.

As a single body, it is hoped that the HSE will be better able to respond to the challenges and demands of changes in the workplace and to oversee further improvements to health and safety by strengthening the links between health and safety strategy and its delivery.

The merger will not fundamentally change day-to-day operations, but will mean that:

• there will be a single national regulatory body responsible for promoting the cause of better health and safety at work;
• the current Chair of the Commission becomes Chair of the Board of the new Executive;
• existing Commissioners are appointed as non-executive directors of the new Executive for the remainder of their term of office, with the relevant responsibilities of the new roles;
• the potential size of the Board of the new Executive will be no more than eleven members plus the Chair and members will continue to be appointed by the Secretary of State;
• all the fundamental contents of the Health & Safety at Work Act remain;
• none of the statutory functions of the previous Commission and Executive will be removed; and
• there is no change in health and safety requirements, how they are enforced or how stakeholders relate to the health and safety regulator – no health and safety protections will be removed.