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Family Man Found Dead At Housing Development
A young family man was found dead on Monday 15 February at a small to medium sized new housing project in development in Basingstoke. The houses were...
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Businesses Face Spot Covid Checks & Spot Inspections
To minimise the risk of infection in the workplace, the HSE is carrying out spot checks and inspections on businesses to ensure they are Covid-secure.
The Health & Safety Executive is doing this by calling, visiting and inspecting all types of businesses, in all areas, to check the measures they’ve put in place are in line with the current guidance.
The HSE will also assist local authorities in targeting of premises. The HSE will be assisted by contractors. Officers that visit premises will be carrying identification from their business and a letter of authorisation. Calls currently come up as an unknown number.
If you wish to verify an officer that calls or visits your organisation, call 0300 790 6896.
Enforcement
During the checks and inspections, the HSE will provide advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors.
But where businesses are not managing this, action can be taken:
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Providing specific advice.
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Stopping certain work practices until they are made safe.
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Issuing enforcement notices.
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Prosecution where a business fails to comply.
Being Covid-secure means being adaptable to the current guidelines. The HSE’s approach will adapt as workplaces in different sectors manage the coronavirus risks that apply to them. If you receive a call or visit, you should participate as failure to do so could lead to enforcement action.
To find more HSE advice on making your workplace Covid-secure - Click Here
The video below shows what might be expected in a premises inspection along with tips on making a workplace Covid-secure. If you head to the video at YouTube, you will find a full playlist featuring inspectors at different sites.
Slough gets saturation inspections
From 8 February, the HSE worked with Slough Borough Council to carry out a large number of spot check calls to show businesses across the country they mean business.
Slough Borough Councillor, Pavita K Mann, lead member of Planning and Regulatory Services, said: “We talked to local businesses and visited and inspecting sites across Slough to understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity. Becoming Covid-secure needs to be the priority for all businesses. It is a legal duty for businesses to protect their workers and others from harm and this includes taking reasonable steps to control the risk and protect people from coronavirus.
“We advise employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the local community.”
Going nationwide
Angela Storey, Director of Transformation and Operational Services at HSE, said: “Across the country we are working with local authorities, to check businesses are Covid-secure and providing support and advice where needed.
“All workplaces are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can receive an unannounced check from HSE or an inspection from the local authority."
Picture: A Covid-secure inspector at a construction site.
Article written by Cathryn Ellis
17th February 2021