Health and Safety at Work - Regulation and Inspection
The Environmental Health Team within the Council carries out regular checks on offices, shops, warehouses, places used for leisure activities and other non-industrial premises. (The Health and Safety Executive deal with factories and other industrial operations). This ensures that safe and healthy working conditions are provided for all employees, the self-employed and members of the public visiting these premises.
As with food safety, inspections are carried out on a routine basis usually without prior notification and the high risk premises are visited more frequently.
During an inspection, Officers will need to be satisfied that any hazards to people health, safety and welfare, which arise out of or in connection with work have been identified and the associated risks adequately controlled. They will look at the level of health and safety training of managers and employees to ensure that it is suitable. Checks will also be made on the adequacy of structural and environmental conditions and that plant and equipment are safe.
Where work practices or conditions fall short of what is regarded as satisfactory every attempt will be made to resolve the situation by informal means, but if this is not possible, or if the danger posed gives rise to a risk of serious personal injury, then officers will resort to formal action. This could involve either the service of a legal notice, prosecution, or in situations where serious personal injury could arise, a prohibition notice requiring immediate action.
Who enforces health and safety?
In general the Environmental Health Team within the Council carries out inspections of offices, shops, warehouses, places used for leisure activities and other non-industrial premises and the Health and Safety Executive deal with factories and other industrial operations. It is based around the main activity of the business.
The Health and Safety Executive issue guidance to local authorities which gives a detailed A-Z of the Enforcing Authority for various premises. There is also detailed guidance in relation to businesses who carry out work on motor vehicles.
Health and Safety at Work Etc Act
The Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 is the key act which will affect all commercial concerns, whether self-employed or an employee, and whether mobile or based at a Salon. Under this Act a number of Regulations have been made. The more relevant of these include:
- the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981;
- the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989;
- the Health and Safety (Information for Employees) Regulations 1989;
- Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990;
- the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992;
- Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992
- Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992;
- Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992;
- the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995;
- the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996;
- the Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations 1997;
- the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998;
- the Working Time Regulations 1998;
- the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002;
Page updated: 26 Aug 2008