LOCAL PARTNERS IMPROVING HEALTH AND SAFETY IN LONDON

HSE press release E238:03 - 25 November 2003

A successful London-wide campaign to improve health and safety has taken another step forward with inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the London Borough of Ealing visiting 43 workplaces to check standards.

The campaign, a working partnership between the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities in London - provides a co-ordinated and streamlined approach to inspections for small businesses.

In addition to carrying out workplace checks the inspection team also identified 40 new premises requiring inspection.

Mike Gibb, HSE Principal Inspector, said: "In general, we found good standards. However there were some significant deficiencies that required action and inspectors issued three prohibition and four improvement notices."

The notices dealt with unguarded machinery, lack of edge protection for mezzanine floors and exposure to isocyanates and styrene.

Mike continued: "As part of each visit we gave businesses a new leaflet produced jointly by HSE and Ealing Council. This provides advice on local sources of information on health and safety issues and was well received."

Helen Wilkie, head of Ealing Council's Business Regulation and Support Section, said: "The Council is keen to help businesses in Ealing and make sure they provide safe and healthy working environments. Initiatives like this one help us achieve that aim. The cooperation between HSE and Ealing Council ensured businesses were only visited by one regulator dealing with workplace health and safety."

Charles Horsefield, Head of Operations for HSE London said: "This is one of many initiatives HSE are taking to improve working standards in London. Increasingly we are taking a strategic approach by working in partnership with local authorities and business organisations to improve health and safety standards. Poor standards of health and safety cost firms a lot of money. Initiatives such as the joint inspection programme are designed to assist small firms in understanding and complying with legal requirements, and helping them avoid accidents and ill health."

Notes to editors

1. HSE enforces health and safety legislation in manufacturing premises, construction work, health care, education premises and a variety of other types of business;

2. Local authorities enforce health and safety legislation mainly in offices, shops, hotels, and catering and leisure activities;

3. This initiative contributes to the planned programme of inspections in London to take place over the year. It will to cover both specific industries and general businesses.

4. A free leaflet giving basic advice "Improving Workplace Health and Safety in Ealing" was provided to those businesses visited and free leaflets can be downloaded from the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk

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