Committee on Safety and Health at Work (Robens Committee): Report and Papers

LAB 96

1960-1976

Registered files of the Committee on Safety and Health at Work (Robens Committee) set to review and make recommendations on the safety and health both of persons in the course of their employment and of the public in connection with activities on industrial, commercial or construction sites. The files comprise papers dealing with both the business of the committee and submissions from organisations and individuals, and comprise minutes, correspondence, evidence and background papers and those relating to the drafting and publication of the report. A small number of files pre-date and post-date the committee.

Digests of evidence submitted and accompanying correspondence are included in 1RF and 2RF series files. 2RFE series files contain extracts of evidence from similarly numbered 2RF series files. Papers relating to the business of the committee (minutes of meetings, official visits, etc), drafts of the report and oral evidence are to be found in 3RF series files. Statistical and background information, and appendices to certain files in all RF series, will be found in P series files. WE series files contain unedited written evidence and an index to written evidence. The sole WEE series file contains a master-list of health and safety legislation.

P, RFE, WE and WEE file series

Public Record(s)

English

768 file(s)

Open unless otherwise stated

Topics

Welfare

Labour

Trade and commerce

Series is not accruing.

The Committee on Health and Safety at Work was appointed in May 1970 by Barbara Castle, Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity. It was required to review and make recommendations on the provisions made for both the safety and health of persons in the course of their employment, and that of the public in connection with activities on industrial, commercial or construction sites (other than general environmental pollution). Transport workers while engaged on transport operations (and covered by other provisions) were excluded from the committee's terms of reference. The committee was chaired by Lord Robens, Chairman of the National Coal Board and comprised six other members.

The committee reported in June 1972, and its report was printed in the following month (Cmnd 5034). The recommendations of the committee were substantially enacted in the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974, resulting in the formation of the Health and Safety Commission and its enforcing body, the Health and Safety Executive.