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self-efficacy or negative beliefs about capability to meet health and safety<br />
demands, concerns about environmental and resource constra<strong>in</strong>ts and poor<br />
attention given to per<strong>for</strong>mance measurement.<br />
2.2.3 Legislation<br />
The present situation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK is that <strong>the</strong> Health & Safety at Work Act (1974)<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Management <strong>of</strong> Health & Safety at Work Regulations (1999) apply<br />
equally to all organisations. However, certa<strong>in</strong> sectors have fundamentally<br />
higher risks and <strong>the</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e more legislation has been designed to address <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
needs than those perceived risks encountered <strong>in</strong>, perhaps, <strong>the</strong> service or retail<br />
sectors. For example, <strong>in</strong> one project aimed at small bus<strong>in</strong>esses, whilst 94%<br />
took up <strong>of</strong>fer <strong>of</strong> free health and safety starter pack, only 33% used <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>tervention <strong>of</strong> free <strong>in</strong>spection. Notably, those who used <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>spection<br />
option were <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> construction <strong>in</strong>dustry (Dugdill et al., 2000),<br />
suggest<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>creased legislation <strong>in</strong> this area compared to areas such<br />
as retail, provided a motivat<strong>in</strong>g factor. This suggests that <strong>the</strong> beliefs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
consequences <strong>of</strong> non-compliance with legislation may promote uptake <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>terventions to improve health and safety.<br />
.<br />
Arguably, <strong>the</strong> Heath and Safety at Work Act (1974) allows <strong>for</strong> a variance <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>terpretation <strong>of</strong> legislation concern<strong>in</strong>g employers’ responsibilities towards<br />
<strong>the</strong> health and safety <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir employees. The common law pr<strong>in</strong>ciple <strong>of</strong><br />
reasonable practicability requires <strong>the</strong> employer to “take <strong>in</strong>to account <strong>the</strong><br />
danger or hazard or <strong>in</strong>jury which may occur and balance it aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> cost,<br />
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