Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Amendment) Bill — Bill 056 2024-25 (as introduced)

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
(Amendment) Bill
[AS INTRODUCED]
CONTENTS
1 Duty to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace
2 Duties of the Health and Safety Executive: violence and harassment framework
and protection of women and girls
3 Extent, commencement and short title
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[AS INTRODUCED]
A
BILL
TO
Amend the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to place a requirement
on employers to take proactive measures to prevent violence and harassment
in the workplace; to make provision for protections for women and girls in
the workplace; and to require the Health and Safety Executive to publish a
Health and Safety Framework on violence and harassment in the workplace,
including violence against women and girls in the workplace.
B
E IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 Duty to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace
(1) Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is amended as follows.
(2) After subsection (2)(e) insert—
“(f)
5
the adoption of proactive and preventative measures to protect
all persons working in their workplace from violence and
harassment, including—
(i) gender-based violence;
(ii) sexual harassment;
(iii) psychological and emotional abuse;
10(iv) physical and sexual abuse;
(v) stalking and harassment, including online harassment;
(vi) threats of violence.”
(3) After subsection (3) insert—
“(3A)
15
It shall be the duty of every employer to prepare, and as often as may
be appropriate revise, an assessment to identify potential risks of
violence and harassment in the workplace and implement policies and
procedures to eliminate these risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
(3B) It shall be the duty of every employer to provide training to all
20
employees on recognising and preventing violence and harassment in
the workplace, with a focus on gender-responsive approaches.
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1 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Amendment) Bill

(3C) In subsection (3B) a “gender-responsive approach” means taking into
account the various needs, interests, and experiences of people of
different gender identities, including women and girls, when designing
and implementing policies and procedures.
5(3D) In this section, “persons working in the workplace” includes—
(a) employees;
(b) full-time, part-time, and temporary workers;
(c) interns and apprentices;
(d) volunteers; and
10(e) job applicants.
(3E) In subsection (2)(f) and subsections (3A) and (3B), a reference to the
workplace includes remote and hybrid work environments.”
2 Duties of the Health and Safety Executive: violence and harassment
framework and protection of women and girls
15In the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, after section 11 (functions of
the Executive) insert—
“11ZA Duties of the Executive: health and safety framework on violence
and harassment
(1)
20
It shall be the duty of the Executive to develop, publish and as often
as may be appropriate revise a health and safety framework on
violence and harassment in the workplace.
(2) This framework shall include specific provisions relating to—
(a) the prevention of violence and harassment against women and
25
girls in the workplace, and other gender-based violence and
harassment, including the prevention of physical, emotional,
and psychological abuse;
(b) the duty of employers to create safe and inclusive workplaces
and the preventative measures they must adopt; and
(c)
30
the use of monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure
compliance with the duty of the employer in relation to violence
and harassment (see section 2(2)(f)).
(3) The Executive shall work with other relevant bodies, including the
Equality and Human Rights Commission and law enforcement
agencies, to develop and revise this framework.
3511ZB Duties of the Executive: guidance for employers
The Executive shall, in consultation with such other persons as it
considers to be relevant, issue guidance for employers about the
protection of women and girls in the workplace by—
(a)
40
implementing workplace policies to prevent violence and
harassment;
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Amendment) Bill 2

(b) establishing confidential reporting mechanisms to allow victims
to report incidents;
(c) conducting risk assessments and ensuring compliance with the
health and safety framework (see section 11ZA);
5(d) reporting and addressing incidents of violence and harassment;
and
(e) supporting victims of violence and harassment, including
making accommodations in the workplace to support such
victims.”
103 Extent, commencement and short title
(1) This Act extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
(2) This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed.
(3) This Act may be cited as Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
(Amendment) Act 2024.
3 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Amendment) Bill

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
(Amendment) Bill
[AS INTRODUCED]
A
BILL
TO
Amend the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to place a requirement on employers
to take proactive measures to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace; to
make provision for protections for women and girls in the workplace; and to require
the Health and Safety Executive to publish a Health and Safety Framework on violence
and harassment in the workplace, including violence against women and girls in the
workplace.
Presented by Liz Saville Roberts
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 21st October 2024.
© Parliamentary copyright House of Commons 2024
This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament Licence, which is published at
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PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
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