The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have merged to form a new safety watchdog.
The decision to merge HSC and HSE was reached after consultation with stakeholders. The new body will be called the Health and Safety Executive.
The merger will mean:
- 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.
- 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.
Judith Hackitt, chair of the new body, said: “The new HSE will strengthen the importance of workplace health and safety in Great Britain. With a single regulatory body, we will be able to strengthen the links between strategy and delivery to provide the accountability expected of a public body in today’s workplace climate.”
The merger will not fundamentally change the day-to-day operations but will set the tone for closer working throughout the organisation, she added.
