Working with other regulators

We work collaboratively with other regulators, agencies and government departments to ensure the most appropriate organisation intervenes. We do this by setting arrangements, where laws overlap, to:

  • promote cooperation
  • minimise duplication
  • coordinate on joint regulatory activities
  • share information and intelligence

We will not intervene if another regulator has specific responsibility for that area.

Working with local authorities

Local authorities (LAs) are responsible for regulating health and safety in lower-risk workplaces, such as:

  • offices
  • shops
  • warehouses
  • consumer services

The Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations set out the allocation of premises between us and LAs.

We retain a central policy role in setting their risk-based approach as outlined in the LA Enforcement Code.

Our role as part of a competent authority

Under the Control of Major Hazards Regulations 2015 (COMAH) we regulate major hazards by working jointly, as a competent authority, with:

  • Environment Agency
  • Scottish Environment Protection Agency
  • National Resources Wales

Offshore major hazard industries (oil and gas) are regulated jointly by us and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Supporting the work of other regulators

We support the work of the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Office of Road and Rail Regulation and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

We also work closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime Coastguard Agency.

A complete list of all the regulators we have formal agreements with is available online.

Further information

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Updated 2023-06-07