Catalogue description Records of the Health and Safety Executive

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was formed on 1 January 1975 and was responsible to the Health and Safety Commission for the enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and consequent regulations. HSE's remit was to undertake the requirements of the Commission and to enforce health and safety legislation in all workplaces, except those regulated by Local Authorities. The HSE comprised three full-time members appointed by the Commission with the approval of the Secretary of State: the Director-General; the Deputy Director-General, and one other member. Health and Safety Executive was also the name given to the organisation engaged in the work delegated to it by the Executive, which included (1) the policy branches, (2) the various inspectorates, and (3) the technical, scientific and medical group, as well as staff in a number of area offices throughout the UK.

(1) POLICY

The original three policy divisions of HSE formed in 1975 were the:

• Resources and Planning Division (RPD): from the outset this carried out the establishment and finance functions, and that of determining policies which were cross-industry in character, international work.
• Safety Policy Division (SPD); later the Safety Policy and Information Services Division: responsible for policy, safety standards and legislative work in the 'traditional' industries.
• Major Hazards Policy Division (MHPD); later the Hazardous Substances Division: responsible for industries with a major accident potential; for example the chemicals, explosives and transport industries, but not nuclear (which was assigned to SPD).

This structure held until 1991 when a new Strategy and General Division (SGD) was formed, which included science policy and took over from RPD most of its cross-industry and international functions. Also in 1991, the Offshore Safety Division (OSD) was formed following the acquisition by HSE of the offshore safety function, to set up the new offshore regulatory system and to control offshore inspection.

In 1992 the rest of the policy-related work was rationalized so that SPD took responsibility for policy on matters of physical safety and a new Health Policy Division (HPD) was formed, the old MHPD disappearing. A second Deputy Director-General was appointed to oversee the Policy Group thus re-organised.

(2) INSPECTORATES and TECHNOLOGY/SCIENCE

A number of regulatory and scientific organisations were transferred to HSE at the time of its creation, including: the Factory Inspectorate (from Department of Employment); the Explosives Inspectorate (from Home Office); the Alkali and Clean Air Inspectorate (from Department of the Environment); and the Mines Inspectorate, the Mining Qualification Board, and Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (all from Department of Energy). The HSE also assumed responsibility for the Safety in Mines Research Establishment and the Employment Medical Advisory Service. In 1976 the Agricultural Inspectorate (from Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) became part of HSE.

In 1984, the Factories and Agriculture Inspectorate (FAID) was formed, by joining those two inspectorates, the Factories Inspectorate at that time losing its headquarter specialist inspectors.

In 1987, the Alkali and Clean Air Inspectorate, re-named as the Industrial Air Pollution Inspectorate in 1983, returned to the Department of the Environment.

In 1990, the Railway Inspectorate was transferred to HSE from the Department of Transport.

In 1990, the Field Operations Division (FOD) was formed under a single Chief Executive by the amalgamation of the FAID, the Quarries Inspectorate, the Field Consultant Groups (technical and scientific personnel advising and assisting Field Inspectors), and the Employment Medical Advisors (i.e. doctors and nurses) operating in the field. This division included a superintendent specialist inspector who lead specialist groups dealing with fire and explosions, occupational hygiene, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, noise and radiation, and scientific support. The FOD divided its work into seven geographical regions served by area offices.

In 1991 a new inspectorate, the Offshore Safety Division, was created in response to the considerable activity offshore in the extraction of gas, oil and minerals.

Some functions concerning radiation were carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board, in consultation with the Commission, along guidelines established by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. In matters of gas safety, HSE worked closely with the Office of Gas Supply.

Nuclear Safety Division (NSD): Formed in 1985 as a new policy branch to discharge HSE's responsibilities for nuclear safety policy. This new division included the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII). Since the transfer of transfer of the NII to the HSE in 1975, the nuclear licensing authority has been the HSE. The NSD is responsible to HSE for the definition of official nuclear safety standards and for the examination of designs in connection with proposed new nuclear plant and with applications for nuclear licenses. Its duties include those of ensuring that licensees develop and maintain effective safety cases, rules and procedures relevant to their plant and which accord with HSE guidance, and to ensure through regular inspection and as necessary the exercise of their powers, that plants are operated to the highest standards of safety.

(3) TECHNICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL GROUP

This group comprised three divisions:

• Technology and Health Services Division: Provided a source of specialist technical, health and scientific advice to the Executive, industry, government and the public. This division included the Major Hazards Assessment Unit; the Explosives Inspectorate (which was both an operational inspectorate and a consultant branch); and a headquarters consultant branch with a variety of specialisms.
• Research and Laboratory Services Division: Responsible for research and development, scientific support for other parts of HSE, and for the testing of equipment. It included the Explosion and Flame Laboratory and the Electrical Equipment Certification Service, and the Safety Engineering Laboratory and the Occupational Medical and Hygiene Laboratory.
• Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS): Responsible for promulgating advice regarding occupational health matters, and performing regular medical examinations on workers involved in hazardous trades. EMAS was operated through a system of medical teams in area offices.

Before the Technology and Health Services Division, in 1985 Technology Division (TD) was formed by incorporating the specialist inspectors formerly in the Factories Inspectorate with the Accident Prevention Advisory Group. The Explosives Directorate was for most purposes also part of the Technology Division, but discharged certain security responsibilities that were out-with the Technology Division's remit.

Upon its formation, TD formed part of a new group (the Technology, Medical and Science Group - TMSG), commanded by a Deputy Director-General. TMSG also consisted of the Medical Division (which had been formed in 1980, effectively taking over the functions of EMAS, which henceforth existed effectively only in name and for legal reasons); Medical Division also included certain policy and medico/scientific functions carried out partly in conjunction with the Medical Research Advisory Council. TMSG also comprised the Research Laboratories and Scientific Division (RSLD) which consisted effectively of HSE's three major scientific laboratories and the Mines Rescue Group.