Liaison with other statutory inspection bodies and enforcing authorities

Where another authority has responsibility for legislation that deals with all relevant health and safety risks from a particular incident or complaint, HSE will generally regard compliance with their legislation as satisfying the more general HSWA duties. If a matter is clearly within the remit of another authority that authority should deal with it and we will not usually need to intervene.

In cases of the type described above that do not meet the criteria for health and safety enforcing authority involvement set out in Section 3, HSW Act: Policy and where other legislation is more appropriate, it will be sufficient to refer enquirers, complainants, etc to the appropriate authority. An example is a planning inquiry into the extension of an airport runway where other Departments have overall responsibility for aviation safety, including the planning process. HSE would not get involved except in relation to its role as statutory consultee in the planning process relating to any nearby hazardous installation.