Implications of health and safety legislation for the professional sportsperson

There are a large number of injuries in most professional sports every year, and research interest has usually centred around the medical aspects of these injuries. However, health and safety legislation also applies to professional sport, and it is important, as with any other occupation, to understand the underlying causes of the incidents leading to the injuries and to take steps to minimize future injuries. The introduction of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 formalized a risk assessment approach to health and safety issues; an approach that has always been implicit in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This review assesses how the relevant UK health and safety legislation impacts on the professional sportsperson.