The primary legislation used to enforce health and safety in England and Wales is the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the lead regulator, but local authorities are also responsible for lower-risk settings like retail, leisure, and office premises under the Act. Penalties following a conviction for breaches of the Act can be significant, and fines on conviction are now based on the sentencing guidelines in the Health and Safety Offences, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene Offences, Definitive Guideline…
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