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Network Journal 2008 Issue 3 May/June |
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New standards set for H&S enforcement
New standards for health and safety enforcers, including the Local Authority inspectors who cover most Usdaw member workplaces, were issued in April by the HSE.
The new standards, important because Local Authorities (LAs) enforce health and safety for people who work in retail, distribution, catering and offices were issued under Section 18 of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
They are intended to boost partnership between LAs and the HSE to make sure they devote adequate resources to ensure that health and safety law is enforced.
Previous Section 18 guidance was less prescriptive than standards set for other enforcement regimes, such as food safety.
As a result there was a national decline in LA resources devoted to health and safety enforcement in the 1990s but in recent years steps to strengthen the partnership between the HSE and LAs have started to reverse the trend.
The HSE has worked closely with LACORS (the co-ordinating body for local authority regulatory services) and more effort has been made to make elected councillors aware of LA responsibilities for health and safety enforcement.
Members who are active in local politics should watch out for the new standards and for reviews of enforcement activity as a result of them.
The HSE has also issued simple web-based guidance to LAs on the priority topics to be covered in sectors such as retail and distribution at: www.hse.gov.uk/fit3street
In retail, for example, the HSE says inspectors should focus on musculoskeletal disorders, slips and trips, violence and aggression, asbestos, dermatitis and asthma.
The guidance explains the priority topics for inspection and enforcement in each sector and also gives links to HSE guidance on enforcement action.
www.hse.gov.uk/section18
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