Teams of Health and Safety Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authority inspectors from Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland councils will be working together to ensure that employers and landlords or their managing agents are meeting their responsibilities including: ensuring that there are safe routes for vehicles to enter and leave estates and that procedures are in place to maintain, manage and repair their premises. The focus on vehicles reflects the risks associated with workplace transport, which was involved in 65 fatal accidents at work in 2007-08.
Once on the industrial estate, inspectors will call on individual businesses to check for hazards relevant to their industry, including slips, trips and falls, working at height and a range of other topics including manual handling and working with hazardous substances.
HSE Inspector Laura Lyons said that the purpose of the crackdown on industrial estates was to root out and deal with bad practice, but just as importantly, it was to offer advice and support to ensure that people weren't being put at risk from dangerous work procedures. Laura continued "Yes we will take enforcement action if necessary, but at the end of the day, we want to help employers ensure that when their employees come to work, they do a day's work in safety and can leave at the end of the day or their shift and go home to their families safely."
"Preventing an accident occurring is much better than having to deal with the consequences, and we will be able to offer constructive, practical advice where appropriate."
HSE and local authority inspectors both enforce health and safety law in workplaces. Broadly, HSE inspectors have responsibility for workplaces carrying out manufacturing and local authority inspectors responsibility for workplaces providing services or retail. Inspectors from both organisations will be carrying out inspections on various industrial estates in the Teesside area.
In 2007-08, there were seven fatal injuries to workers in the North East, one of which occurred in the Redcar and Cleveland area. Across the three unitary areas of Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland, there were 217 major injuries to workers and 793 incidents where workers were required to take more than three days off work.
- In Redcar there were 59 major injuries to workers, and 247 accidents at work that resulted in people taking more than three days off sick.
- In Middlesbrough there were 69 major injuries to workers and 202 incidents where workers had to take more than three days off work.
- In Stockton there were 89 major injuries to workers and 344 accidents that required workers to take more than three days off work.
For advice and information on health and safety in the workplace, contact the Health and Safety Executive on 0845 345 0055 or visit www.hse.gov.uk or contact your local authority.
