Who to contact for Health and Safety Issues

Find the best sources for Health and Safety general advice, food safety, fire safety, home safety advice, product safety, health issues, consultants, gas safety, personal safety, care quality plus health and safety statistics. Find out who enforces the health and safety at work legislation in the different business sectors.

Sources for general advice

If your inquiry relates to a situation at work we can help
If you don't find what you are looking for here or on Health and Safety Executive (opens in a new window) decide who is the enforcing authority/body at your premises (HSE or Local Authority) please see Who Enforces in Dorset (pdf, 27kb) (opens in a new window) and then please contact the relevant WorkWell Dorset Contacts.
For general advice and guidance see Health and Safety made simple (opens in a new window) to guide you through the basics of what you need to do
Health and Safety Executive A-Z (opens in a new window)
Sign up for Health and Safety Executive bulletins (opens in a new window) bulletins are specific to your industry, so you can keep up to date with any changes in the law
Business Link (opens in a new window) . They also have good start up advice: Business Link Start-up Advice (opens in a new window)

Please note that we only deal with criminal concerns regarding health and safety at work.

Health and Safety Publications

Guidance documents for health and safety at work can be downloaded free of charge or copies ordered from HSE Books see: Health and Safety Executive Books (opens in a new window)
For specific legislation see Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) (opens in a new window)

Food Safety

The Food Standards Agency (opens in a new window) offers good and topical advice on food safety or you can contact your local Environmental Health Department.

Fire Safety

Fire risk assessment guidance can be found on the Fire risk assessments (opens in a new window) and from the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service (opens in a new window) .

Home Safety

For home safety advice see the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (opens in a new window) .

Product Safety

Seek out Trading Standards Central (opens in a new window) for complaints regarding services. You can use the postcode search on their website to find your nearest Trading Standards office.

Health Issues

Work Related

The Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS) can assist you in finding someone to help fulfil the legal requirements under regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to "select competent persons to help you in managing health and safety" but they will not normally do the work on behalf of a business
If you are an employee and think a health problem may be work-related you should tell your employer or the company's safety officer, nurse or doctor. You may also ask for help from your trade union or employee representative or family doctor. If you are unable to resolve the problem you can contact the local HSE office below or your Local Environmental Health Officer
Members of the public who believe their health is being affected by nearby work activity may seek advice from EMAS below.
The Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS) is based within the HSE and the office below covers Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole: The Pithay, All Saints Street, Bristol, BS1 2ND Tel: 01179 886000

General Health Issues

See NHS Direct Online (opens in a new window) and the World Health Organisation's A-Z (opens in a new window) .

Consultants

Before you approach a consultant consider managing your own health and safety. You probably know your business better than a third party and you are therefore ideally based to manage your own health and safety. Health and Safety Executive (opens in a new window) website provides tools to help you do this, also see Health and Safety made simple (opens in a new window) .
If you decide you do need a consultant use Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR): (opens in a new window) , this register, lists consultants who can offer general advice to UK businesses to help them manage health and safety risks. They are deemed competent to advice in health and safety by the participating bodies and other stakeholders involved in the formation of the OSHCR scheme.

Gas Safety

If you can smell gas, think there is a leak or are worried about carbon monoxide poisoning please call the 24 hour gas emergency service on 0800 111 999 the National Grid (opens in a new window) .
The Health and Safety Executives web site on gas safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/ (opens in a new window) . is very useful and the HSE also have a gas safety advice line: 0300 300363.
The Gas Safe (opens in a new window) website may also be of help if you are looking for a visit by a gas engineer or wish to check a work man is qualified for a specific job.

Personal Safety

Suzy Lamplugh Trust - Personal Safety (opens in a new window) offers good advice. You may also wish to contact the Police.

Care Quality / Safety in Care Homes

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) (opens in a new window) deal with standards expected for care quality in Care Homes and Hospitals, including care for the disabled.
For at work situations, depending on the type of Home, the Local Authority or the Health and Safety Executive may be the enforcing authority Who Enforces in Dorset (pdf, 27kb) (opens in a new window) .