Health & safety at work

The Council aims to protect the health, safety and welfare of all persons affected by those work activities for which the Council has an enforcement responsibility and to promote health and safety within these activities. It does this by undertaking planned inspections and a range of other activities.

Workplaces for which the Council has an enforcement responsibility are retailing, most offices, hotels and catering establishments, sports, leisure, consumer services, places of workshop and some warehouses. Responsibility in most other workplaces falls to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

A copy of the latest Health and Safety Newsletter can be viewed or downloaded from the link on the right of this page.

If you have any queries, please use the online service on the right of this page to contact us.

Register your Business

If an employer intends employing anyone in a shop or office, they are required to notify the appropriate enforcing authority using Form OSR1. This is obtainable from the Council or alternatively you may complete this form online, then print and sign it, and send it to the Council, or the local HSE office, as appropriate. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5 or higher.

A form to notify the Council about the installation of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers is available on the right of this page.

Accidents

To report an accident at work electronically please go to the RIDDOR website.

You may wish to visit the HSE's Better Business web pages to find out more about why it makes sense to minimise accidents and ill-health at work, or try their quiz!

Further Information

The Health & Safety Executive website has information on most aspects of Health and Safety at work. You can get specific advice on any health and safety matter from HSE's Infoline.

For start up companies and small businesses go to the safestartup website.

Business Link is an easy to use business support, advice and information service, managed by the DTI.

Risk assessments are an essential part of ensuring your business operates in a safe and legal manner, so that employees and public are protected. If you are a small or medium sized employer (SME) and have difficulty in putting together a risk assessment, to meet the requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, then HSE have produced some examples of industry specific assessments.

COSHH Essentials provides information about the use of chemicals or other hazardous substances.

Guidance Notes

The Council has produced guidance notes covering various topics of food safety, these are listed in the 'Publications' area of the site (prefixed by Health & Safety') from where they can be ordered or downloaded.

Other publications and leaflets are available from HSE Books and at HSE Publications.