Regulation, inspection and enforcement
The council's Health and Safety Unit operates within an agreed enforcement policy. It 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 without prior notification and the high risk premises are visited more frequently.
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.
You can view our Enforcement Policy here.