Kent Local Authorities And HSE Launch Joint Inspection Campaign

As part of a new flexible warranting initiative, inspectors from Local Authorities across Kent, including Dover District Council, are joining forces with the Health and Safety Executive on a series of visits to workplaces on industrial sites and other locations to assess standards of health and safety management.

The county-wide exercise begins today (10 November) and will run for three weeks, with visits in Dover District taking place week commencing 24 November. The inspections will focus on the assessment and control of risks associated with workplace transport, manual handling, slips and trips, work at height, and asbestos. Inspectors will be looking at how employers control risks to their own staff and others who may be affected, such as delivery drivers, office workers, contractors and members of the public.

Each stage of the initiative will be preceded by a mail shot to employers to forewarn that visits may take place, explaining the purpose, and providing the employer with an opportunity to review measures in place to protect the health and safety of employees, and others who may be affected.

The flexible warranting arrangements for HSE and Local Authority Inspectors across Kent were formally launched on 30 September 2008. All 13 Kent Authorities have dual warranted officers, currently making Kent the only county in the UK where all Authorities are actively engaged on joint inspections with HSE. Flexible warrants enable Inspectors from Local Authorities to inspect sites traditionally covered by HSE, and vice versa. It also allows officers to undertake inspections in neighbouring Authorities.

Further information on health and safety issues can be found on the DDC website at www.dover.gov.uk, on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk or by calling the HSE's Infoline on 0845 345 0055.