Council will do Covid-19 spot checks
BUSINESSES TO BE INSPECTED
HULL City Council has expanded Covid spot checks and inspections to include all businesses to prevent local outbreaks.
The authority’s public protection teams working with the Health and Safety Executive are set to make calls, visits and inspections on businesses from this week.
A council statement said the spot checks were aimed at making sure businesses had proper protection measures in place for employees, customers and visitors.
It added officers would advise businesses if their measures were thought to need improvement, with “immediate” action to be taken if they are found to be unsafe.
Council public protection lead Rachel Stephenson said improving safety in businesses was a “priority”. She said: “We will be talking to local businesses and visiting and inspecting sites across Hull to understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity.
“It is a legal duty for businesses to protect their workers and others from harm and this includes taking steps to control the risk and protect people from coronavirus. This means making business adjustments to become covid-secure.
“We advise employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the local community.”
The council’s spot checks previously covered shops and supermarkets, but is now being expanded to all local businesses.
Public Protection portfolio holder Cllr Mike Thompson said: “We know our local businesses have had to implement changes quickly and work hard to ensure they meet government standards.
“The relatively low number of outbreaks in businesses and the way they have been dealt with where they have occurred is a reflection of how seriously coronavirus has been treated across all sectors.
“These visits help reinforce the importance of safety measures and identify any improvements which need to be made. Our officers will be working closely with the Health and Safety Executive and action will be taken if serious risks are found.
“The aim of these visits is to protect anyone working at or visiting businesses, as well as those in the wider community who could be affected by a case or outbreak resulting from poor safety measures.”
The Health and Safety Executive’s transformation and operational services director Angela Storey said: “Across the country we are working with local authorities, like Hull City Council, to check businesses are coronavirus-secure and providing support and advice where needed.
“Our spot checks and inspections support the cross-government work in helping employers and employees at work during the pandemic.
“All workplaces are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can receive an unannounced check from the Health and Safety Executive or an inspection from the local authority, to check they are coronavirus secure. If you are contacted by the Health and Safety Executive or your local authority, please engage with us. By making sure that businesses have measures in place, we can benefit the health of local communities”