What power does the Health & Safety Executive Possess?
The Health and Safety inspector may enter your work premises at any time.
Usually the inspector will be visiting to carry out a Health and Safety inspection. However, they could also visit you after an accident that may have been caused by work activities.
They will then be seeking to:
- Investigate the causes of the accident
- Advise you whether you need to take action to prevent a recurrence
- Determine if there has been a breach of Health and Safety law
Whatever the purpose of the visit, inspectors have the authority to take certain actions, including:
- Carrying out examinations and investigations, including taking measurements, photographs and samples
- Taking possession of an article and arranging for it to be dismantled or tested
- Seizing and making safe any article or substance that could cause serious personal injury
- Requesting information and taking statements from people they think can help an investigation
- Inspecting and copying documents
If the inspector considers that you are breaking Health and Safety law, or your activities give rise to a serious risk, they can:
- Issue an informal warning, verbally or in writing
- Issue an improvement notice or prohibition notice
- Prosecute the company and/or individuals