Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974and associated regulations all employers have a duty to make sure their workplaces are safe for their employees and members of the public. It is the role of Leicester City Council's Health and Safety Team to ensure that employers in Leicester comply with their duties.
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Inspect workplaces to ensure they are safe and that employers are complying with the law
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Investigate complaints about unsafe workplaces
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Investigate accidents and dangerous occurrences that have occurred in a workplace
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Provide advice and information to businesses, employees and members of the public
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Promote awareness and knowledge through projects and campaigns
- Work in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive and other organisations
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The enforcement of health and safety law is split between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)and Local Authorities.
The Health and Safety Team are responsible for the following places of work in Leicester:
shops, offices, hairdressers, cinemas, hotels, leisure activities, warehouses, tyre and exhaust centres, consumer services, e.g. launderettes, churches, banks, beauty parlours, residential care homes.
The HSE cover the following workplaces nationwide:
factories, building sites, car repair, garages, workshops, printers, hospitals, dentists, doctors surgeries, schools and universities, dry cleaners, fairgrounds, mines, quarries, farms, railways, chemical plants, council owned premises.
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Officers do not need to announce their visits particularly when they are investigating accidents or complaints but they may make appointments to ensure that they speak to a senior member of staff during routine inspections.
Officers will look at the workplace, work activities and the health and safety management system that the business has in place.
Officers may also wish to review paperwork which could include the following:
- health and safety policy
- risk assessments
- plant maintenance and inspection records
training records
- accident records
If officers have any concerns then the following forms of action may be taken depending on the seriousness of the situation:
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Informal - verbal or written advice/instruction/warning
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Improvement Notice - 21 days to comply with legal requirements
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Prohibition Notice - prohibition of a work activity or use of work equipment either immediately or after a specified time
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Prosecution - if there is a failure to comply with notices
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Health and Safety Team
Regeneration and Culture
Leicester City Council
New Walk Centre (A4)
Welford Place
Leicester
LE1 6ZG
Telephone: (0116) 252 6442
Fax: (0116) 252 6416
E-mail: healthandsafetyteam@leicester.gov.uk
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