The competition framework Summary and background
464.Professor Löfstedt’s review Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and legislation (November 2011) identified the potential unfairness that arises where health and safety at work regulations impose a strict liability on employers, making them legally responsible to pay compensation despite having done all that was reasonable to protect their employees. Professor Löfstedt recommended that regulatory provisions which impose strict liability should be reviewed. In its response to the review the Government recognised this unfairness and agreed to look at ways to redress the balance, in particular by preventing civil liability from attaching to a breach of such provisions.
465.The amendment to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (“HSWA 1974”) reverses the present position on civil liability, with the effect, unless any exceptions apply, that it will only be possible to claim for compensation in relation to breaches of affected health and safety legislation where it can be proved that the duty holder (usually the employer) has been negligent. This means that in future, for all relevant claims, duty-holders will only have to defend themselves against negligence.