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Buying British should be a strong ethical choice as UK factories are some of the safest in the world.
For decades, the UK has led the way in placing worker welfare at the centre of its manufacturing sector. Long before ethical sourcing became a global concern, the UK had already established rigorous safety standards and clear accountability. That legacy continues today, making locally manufactured products a responsible and reliable choice.
A key turning point came with the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1974. At the time this was a milestone in legislation to protect the safety of workers. Rather than relying on a mix of industry-specific rules, the Act created a broad, adaptable framework that put responsibility firmly on employers to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees.
Supported by an independent regulator (now part of the Health and Safety Executive) this single piece of legislation paved the way for modern Health and Safety management across the manufacturing sector.
Over the years, additional regulations have been added, addressing areas such as machinery standards, manual handling and chemical safety. The result is a continuing decrease in the incidence of work-related accidents in UK factories.
Although many countries have since followed suit, comparative data shows the UK remains ahead of the curve: 90% of UK workplaces routinely carry out health and safety and risk assessments, significantly higher than the European average of 77%.
When viewed globally, the contrast becomes even clearer. Accident rates in UK manufacturing are consistently among the lowest in the world, lower than many European nations and well below those recorded in countries with sizeable industrial sectors, including the United States.
While no factory can ever eliminate risk entirely, the UK’s combination of strong legislation and deeply embedded safety culture delivers a level of protection that few regions can match.
For anyone sourcing building materials, worker welfare should be part of the decision-making process. In complex international supply chains, it can be difficult to understand the conditions under which products are made. Choosing UK-manufactured materials removes that uncertainty. For housebuilders, this means supporting both the domestic economy and a manufacturing sector that takes its duty of care seriously.
This is one of the reasons H+H continues to invest in its UK production facilities. H+H Celcon Blocks used in British housebuilding are manufactured domestically at its site in Kent and two plants in East Yorkshire. Buying locally made aircrete not only supports regional employment but also ensures that the blocks used on projects are produced within one of the safest manufacturing environments in the world.
Keeping workers safe isn’t just an internal responsibility for employers; it’s an ethical choice for customers too. By selecting British-made products, housebuilders can help uphold the highest standards of safety and contribute to a supply chain that values people as much as performance.
To find out more about H+H, visit hhcelcon.co.uk
Sources:
HSE comparative statistics – https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/european/
International Labour Organization – https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/