I was under the impression that health and safety was part of the tendering process especially for big constructions jobs.
I do hope the change you are hinting at comes soon. But until that day safety is still the responsibility of the employee and employer. Even the client can play a role here by not allowing unsafe conditions on their property.
It is part of the tendering process, which makes it even worse. The contractors try and make their price more appealing buy having the lowest tendering price. One of the easiest ways to do that is to put a small amount for safety and PPE.
Employers should deem it fit to compel employees to always put on PPE. Safety shouldn't be compromised, but unfortunately most employees perceive PPE as a distraction & would prefer working on site without it. It's a serious issue...