Health and Safety Inspections in Wealden

Wealden's Health and Safety Inspectors work within the Public Protection Team. They help to protect the health and safety of employees, the self employed and those affected by their work activities by ensuring that businesses understand their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and associated legislation. This is done in a number of ways.

• Conducting a routine health and safety inspection
• Investigating an accident or a complaint
• Providing training  events and educational information
• Involvement in various initiatives, press releases and bulletins, relating to common themes or problem areas.

Businesses are subject to regular inspections which are carried out by the council's Health and Safety Inspectors.

Purpose of inspections
Inspection procedure
After the inspection
Revisits
Inspection frequencies

The purpose of inspections

The inspection has three main aims:

• to offer advice about compliance with the law and good practices
• to identify and prevent risks to people at work and those affected by work activities
• to investigate possible breaches of legislation and to take such action as may be necessary to get the business legally compliant

Inspection procedure

The relationship between officers and businesses are generally good, as officers are trained to support and guide businesses in complying with the law. Businesses are encouraged to contact us for advice and regularly do so.

However, officers have a right to enter and inspect at all reasonable hours, they do not need to make an appointment and often come without advance notice. However if we do need to speak to specific people in the organisation we will endeavour to ensure that an appointment is made.

They have the power to inspect a premises, inspect activitives, examine records (including computerised records), they can seize equipment, take samples and take photographs to be used as evidence if appropriate.
 
Where appropriate inspectors will want to see and discuss the Health and Safety Management of a business and the records to support its operation. This is likely to include Risk Assessments, Safety Policy, Training Records and Inspection Certifictates where appropriate.

Employees may be questioned about operations they perform at work and their understanding of their responsibilities. Inspectors will also want to know how employees are consulted on health and safety and communication within the company generally.

After the inspection

The inspector will discuss their findings with the person in charge after the inspection. A report of the visit will then be given to the business operator. The report will specify those statutory requirements that are not being complied with and what action must be taken to comply with the law. In addition, advice on good practice may be included. For more information on what you can expect from our officers please view our dedicated page.

Where practices or conditions are not satisfactory, every attempt will be made to resolve the situation by informal means, but where poor conditions persist, or where there is a safety risk, it may be necessary to take a more formal route which could result in the service of formal notices requiring improvements or prohibiting certain activities.

The need for prosecution is rare and only used when warranted, as Wealden Council has a staged approach to enforcement and has signed up to the enforcement Concordat.

Revisits

In some cases a revisit or several revisits are necessary to ensure progress on remedial works. These are not full inspections and generally take much less time.

Inspection frequencies

The frequency of inspections of businesses is based upon an assessment of risk. This is dependent upon a number of factors such as the type hazard associated with the business activity, the size of the business and of course how well the business is run. Those premises posing a higher risk will be inspected more frequently than those premises with a lower risk.

In addition, sometimes inspections are carried out following accident reports or the receipt of complaints.

For more information please contact:
The Public Protection Team,
Community Services Department,
Wealden District Council,
Vicarage Lane,
Hailsham,
East Sussex,
BN27 2AX.

Tel: 01323 443302
Email: foodandsafety@wealden.gov.uk

 

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