How is Health and Safety Law Enforced?
The task of ensuring that health and safety at work law is enforced is shared between Local Authorities (LAs) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Environmental Health Section is responsible for LA enforcement within the South Hams area. Traditionally, Local Authorities have been responsible for enforcement mainly in commercial and retailing undertakings, which include shops, warehouses, offices, hotels and catering, sports, leisure (not Council leisure centres), consumer services (launderettes, hairdressers, undertakers, shoe repair, tyre and exhaust fitters), residential care homes and churches. The HSE covered mainly industrial activities such as factories, building sites, mines and quarries, agriculture, railways, chemical plant and offshore and nuclear installations. They also cover fairgrounds. More recently, South Hams Council and the HSE have been working in partnership and now use a system which allows any appointed enforcement officer from either the LA or HSE to en
