What is the primary purpose of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?

The primary purpose of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees at work. This legislation places a duty on employers to protect the health and safety of their workforce, which encompasses a wide range of responsibilities including risk assessment, providing a safe working environment, ensuring proper training, and implementing safety measures.

The Act was designed to promote and encourage a safe workplace culture, ensuring that employees can perform their duties without facing unnecessary health risks. It outlines the legal framework within which employers must operate to safeguard the well-being of their employees, therefore fostering a proactive approach to health and safety management in the workplace.

The other options touch on important aspects of workplace safety but do not capture the overarching goal of the Act. While establishing workplace standards and providing financial compensation are essential components of health and safety, they serve as tools or consequences of the broader objective of maintaining employee health, safety, and welfare. Regulating work hours can relate to health and safety indirectly, but it does not encompass the full intent of the Health and Safety at Work Act.