HSE works through inspection, guidance and enforcement.

HSE inspectors are based in offices around the country and deal with health and safety issues across a wide range of work and work-related activities, including manufacturing, engineering and associated industries.

Inspectors apply a range of methods to secure compliance with legal requirements such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, including:

• onsite inspections
• provision of advice and guidance
• investigation of injuries, cases of ill health and complaints
• enforcement (where appropriate)

HSE is targeting occupational asthma under its current work programme to reduce ill health at work because of the scale of this preventable disease.