United Kingdom: Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL)

The UK Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) is an in-house agency of the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSL’s vision is ‘Using out brains to save and improve the lives of workers’ and its mission is ‘To maximise our contribution to the health and safety system’. HSL’s main role is to provide HSE with the scientific assistance it needs to meet its enforcement and other statutory duties. This covers a wide range of work activities including factories, farms, hospitals, and the services sector, as well as chemical plant, refineries and offshore gas and oil installations. Additionally, about 20% of HSL’s work is for other public and private sector organisations.

HSL has three operating groups:

Health Improvement, which is focused on the health and safety of workers;
Hazard Reduction, which is focused on the safety of industrial plant; and
Human Factors, which is focused on individual human and social-group interactions that affect either workers or plant safety.

Within these three groups, research and development work is undertaken across a wealth of disciplines. Capabilities for work on occupational health and safety include:

toxicology;
microbiology;
clinical activities;
immunology;
epidemiology;
occupational hygiene;
organic and inorganic measurement;
psychology including work on human and organisational factors;
risk assessment ;
risk communication;
ergonomics;
personal protective equipment;
noise and vibration;
pedestrian safety;
metallurgy and materials;
fire and explosions;
mechanical engineering;
‘futures’.

Work undertaken includes:

understanding accident and ill-health causation;
investigating accidents and ill-health;
informing policy making activities;
informing the development of guidance and advice for industry and inspectors;
promoting health and safety through disseminating information to, and engaging with stakeholders such as health and safety professionals; and
identifying new challenges to health and safety.

Contact
Health and Safety Laboratory
Dr Mary Trainor
Harpur Hill
Buxton, Derbyshire
SK17 9JN, UK
Phone: 01298 218 328
E-mail: mary.trainor@hsl.gov.uk
http://www.hsl.gov.uk/

Related URLs

United Kingdom: Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL)