Do you want to know what the health and safety focus for Environmental Health Officers will be for the coming year?
Luckily for you, the Health and Safety Executives have released their guidance to Local Authorities on intervention and focus areas for the next 12 months and we want to share it with you.
Here at Shield Safety, we look at those elements that are most relevant to the retail and hospitality sector so, if this applies to you, here’s how you can prepare:
Testing
During the pandemic, many businesses diversified opened new trading areas, and installed new equipment, despite the disruption of closing and opening. Some businesses will have missed their statutory inspection of gas and electrical systems. Keeping track of statutory testing has never been easier with the use of the Registry module in our very own Riskproof. For further information on testing, read our blog here.
Bouncy castles
Bouncy castles are often a popular addition to beer gardens and outdoor events. Unfortunately, there have been some serious and high-profile accidents in recent years. Due to these incidents, the Health and Safety Executives have placed very specific controls around the safe installation and use of inflatable amusements. Read our blog on Bouncy Castles for the full details here.
Animal contact at visitor attractions
Animal contact is commonly associated with farm visitor centers and zoos; however, there is an increasing number of country hotels and pubs introducing petting areas and feeding livestock. With new guidance being published by the Health and Safety Executives, businesses that feature animal contact need to understand and implement the controls required. If you would like to discuss this further or need to support in writing risk assessments, then our team of highly qualified and regarded Safety Consultants are here to help.
Pesticides
Pesticides used in hospitality and leisure are mostly restricted to hotels with large grounds, golf courses, and anything similar to large outdoor areas. The Local Authorities will be focusing on the safe storage and use of pesticides. A great way to ensure sites are following the requirements is to include pesticide safety as part of an overall safety audit. You can add ‘inspection of storage areas as a check on the monitoring module on Riskproof.
Looking after delivery drivers
With the boom of online ordering and food delivery services, the number of delivery riders and drivers has also increased dramatically. On the road for hours at a time, and without a base to work from, these drivers need access to welfare facilities such as toilets and handwashing facilities. Does your business make use of delivery drivers? If so, have you considered the provision of facilities? If you employ these drivers directly, you will also have to ensure that you carry out a risk assessment for the task and adequate controls are in place. For a model risk assessment on delivery safety, click here.
Commercial bins
Unfortunately, there have been rising incidents of members of the public being injured or killed when seeking shelter in a large bin, this is due to the bin being emptied. If you have large bins, do you prevent members of the public from accessing them? You can action this by locking your bins or storing them in a locked yard. Due to the numerous accidents being reported, this is a foreseeable risk and should be included in your risk assessments.
Work-related stress
Poor mental health in the workplace has a direct impact on workers, businesses, and the economy. To understand more about work-related stress and the tools available, then the Mental Health Support Champion training course is a great source of information.
If you would like to talk about how to stay in line with the Health and Safety Executives’ guidance to Local Authorities, or if you have any questions on improving safety in general, contact us.
