Health and safety inspections

Health and safety inspections

As part of our duty, we proactively inspect high risk premises. We can do this with or without notice.

Where there is evidence of poor health and safety performance we will also investigate.

We will also inspect in response to a reported incident or complaint.

What kinds of business do we inspect?

We inspect the following types of premises:

• retail or wholesale
• hotel or catering
• sports or leisure
• residential accommodation (excluding nursing homes)
• places of worship
• pre-school childcare
• mobile vending

Factories and industrial premises

These are inspected by the Health and Safety Executive.

What happens at an inspection?

• We will visit a workplace and look at the premises, work activities, and management processes and procedures to make sure they meet legal standards.
• We will talk to staff, look at records and documents, and take samples and photographs where necessary.

What happens next?

If the premises do not meet health and safety standards, inspectors can issue information and advice or a notice.

A notice is a legal document telling a business how to improve and by when. If there is a serious problem, we can order a business to stop certain activity until legal standards are met.

If a business still fails to take the necessary action, we can prosecute them under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.