What's new at HSE » Enforcement

Changes to health and safety law

Gavin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:26:55 +0000

Find out about changes to health and safety legislation coming into force on 1 October 2008 and 6 April 2009.

HSE Enforcement Policy Statement - updated

Peter — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:11:59 +0000

The HSE Enforcement Policy Statement has been updated to reflect the HSC/E merger and to take into account factual changes since their original publication. Please note that although there have been factual changes to the EPS, there has been no change to the policy and as a result, there will be no change in current enforcement practice. The EPS remains fundamentally the same as the statement that was agreed as fit for purpose in 2007. The section of the EPS containing a table showing maximum penalties will require further factual change should the Health and Safety (Offences) Bill become law. Publication of a print version of the update has therefore been deferred.

HSE Enforcement Policy Statement [PDF 89KB]

Public consultations alerts

Gavin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:40:09 +0000

Sign up email or mobile phone text alerts to be informed about new consultations, reminders and results of consultations…

Public health and safety risks from work activities

Paul — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:49:04 +0000

HSE has set out policy on Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which places duties on employers and the self-employed towards people other than their employees, such as members of the public.

HSE policy on Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act

Carriage of dangerous goods - Prohibition Notices

Fiona — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:29:50 +0000

The list of ‘Carriage of dangerous goods’ Prohibition Notices issued by Police or Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) from July 2007 has been updated with notices up to April 2008.

View prohibition notices [Excel 279KB]

Control of flour dust in in-store bakeries

Fiona — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:15:11 +0000

Local Authority Circular: Benchmark control of dust from flour and flour improvers in in-store supermarket bakeries - what Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) should expect to see in in-store bakeries.

View circular LAC 71/7

Asbestos Enforcement Guidance updated

Fiona — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:04:29 +0000

The operational circular (OC 265/50 Version 5) ‘Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 - General Enforcement Guidance and Advice’, which provides advice on interpretation of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR 2006) including enforcement benchmarks for licensed and non-licensed asbestos removal work and the management of asbestos in buildings has been updated.

View OC 265/50

Safety crack down on Tyneside industrial estates

Fiona — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:02:06 +0000

More than 100 Tyneside businesses were visited in a recent crackdown on industrial estates by Health and Safety Executive and local council inspectors.

View press release

Dacorum Borough Council fined after death of employee

HSEnews — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:13:22 +0000

HSE has warned organisations to ensure employees are properly trained to use equipment, following an incident leading to the death of a 29 year-old council worker after he clamped an electric cable thinking it was a domestic water main.

Read the press release in full

Homes for Haringey Ltd prosecuted after worker injured in fall from loft

Paul — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:23:34 +0000

HSE is warning employers to ensure they have safe systems for working at height in place after a worker was seriously injured in a fall from a loft, while he was changing a water tank at a flat.

Read the full press release

Carriage of dangerous goods - prohibition notices

HSE news — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:06:45 +0000

The list of prohibition notices issued under the carriage of dangerous goods regulations has been updated.

View list [371KB XLS]

Carriage of dangerous goods - prohibition notices

phil — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:10:48 +0000

The list of prohibition notices issued under the carriage of dangerous goods regulations has been updated.

View list [212KB XLS]

Enforcement of animal pathogens

Gavin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:30:02 +0000

From 28 April 2008, HSE’s Biological Agents Unit takes full responsibility for the inspection and regulation of work activities which involve animal pathogens in England.

News announcement about the transfer of responsibility

HSC/HSE merger enforcement statement

Peter — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:48:57 +0000

Statement specifying the terms of delegation of powers on enforcement issues to officials following the merger of the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive.

Read the statement in full

Unacceptable performance by refurbishment sector of the construction industry

phil — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:10:45 +0000

“Over one in three construction sites visited put the lives of workers at risk and operated so far below the acceptable standard that our inspectors served 395 enforcement notices and stopped work on 30% of the sites”, Geoffrey Podger, HSE’s Chief Executive said today.

This comes after HSE carried out over 1000 spot checks of refurbishment sites across Great Britain during February.

View press release and associated pictures

HSE and the rubber industry

Fiona — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:04:12 +0000

Information on HSE’s 3 year enforcement campaign ‘Safe Interventions’ initiative in the rubber industry has been updated to include future Inspectors visits using the questionnaires:- ‘Safe Interventions - Enforcement Initiative - Machinery Safety’ and ‘Safe Interventions - Enforcement Initiative - Entry into Confined Spaces’.

View details

HSE and the paper industry

Fiona — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:02:31 +0000

Information on HSE’s 3 year enforcement campaign ‘Safe Interventions’ initiative has been updated to include future HSE Inspectors visits in the paper industry. Paper mills and corrugated packaging plants have also been added as part of this project.

View details

Carbon monoxide incident at Gateshead school

phil — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:56:32 +0000

HSE has announced that it is prosecuting Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council in connection with a carbon monoxide incident at Crookhill Primary School, Ryton on 14 November 2006.

Read the press release in full

Cutting deaths in construction – refurbishment sites targeted

Fiona — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:30:09 +0000

HSE warned the construction sector in Newcastle that they will be out in force carrying out spot checks on refurbishment projects to ensure that workers’ lives are not being put at risk and that sites are in good order.

View press release

HSE ‘wake up call’ for asbestos removal industry

phil — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:12:23 +0000

HSE has called its eleventh special leadership summit to ask the asbestos removal industry to make further improvements in reducing ill-health caused by work with asbestos.

Read the press release in full