Enforcement strategy

The DWP announced that the HSE will be working with local authorities and businesses to “develop a shared national code that is binding and enforceable”. The HSE’s statutory National Enforcement Code for local authorities came into force on 29 May 2013 and targets proactive council inspections on “higher risk” activities in specified sectors, or when there is intelligence of workplaces putting employees or the public at risk. Checks will continue on poor performers and at sites where there are higher risk activities, such as cooling towers, and buried liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) gas pipes.

If “low-risk” businesses believe they are being unreasonably targeted they will be able to complain to an independent panel, which will investigate and issue a public judgment and the HSE will “work with” local authorities whose targeting of inspections fails to meet the standards set out.