Officers from Coventry City Council’s Health and Safety Team will be visiting local businesses during this year’s European Week for Safety and Health, 19-25 October 1998, providing information and advice to employers so that they can ensure the good health of their employees.

Health and Safety Officers in the Housing and Environmental Services Directorate are responsible for helping some 6,000 city premises, employing 36,400 people, meet the requirements of health and safety law.

Premises are visited on a regular basis with the programmed inspection of highest hazard/risk premises being given priority along with the investigation of major accidents involving employees or members of the public.

During inspections, officers check compliance with health and safety legislation and provide advice on issues such as risk assessment and the control or workplace hazards such as slips, trips and falls, chemicals, moving parts of machinery, pressure systems, vehicle movements, electricity, manual and mechanical handling.

Employees who do not act on advice provided and blatantly disregard the law or recklessly disregard the health and safety of employees, members of the public or others face legal action and fines of up to £20,000.

For European Week for Safety and Health, particular emphasis will be placed on raising awareness of accidents caused by slips, trips and falls, workplace transport and motor vehicle repairs in Local Authority enforced premises.

Slips, trips and falls continue to be the major cause of accidents and make up approximately a third of all major injuries reported each year, costing employers nationally over £300 million a year in lost production and other costs.

The level of workplace transport accidents is of national concern, particularly those involving vehicle movements. Employers using vehicles such as lift trucks and HGV’s must ensure the effective management of vehicle movements, particularly reversing and vehicle / pedestrian segregation and training of operators.

Many tyre and exhaust fitting premises and car dealerships also undertake some vehicle repair work and servicing. Activities such as the handling of asbestos brake linings and petrol and the use of isocyanate paints expose employees to both long and short term health risks. Employers must put safe working practices and appropriate control measures in place to fulfil their duties under health and safety legislation.

Councillor H Richards, Member of Coventry’s Environment and Transportation Policy Team, said:

"European Week for Safety and Health provides a great opportunity for everyone to focus attention on the importance of reducing workplace risks. It is good business for employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees as accidents and ill health can seriously damage a company due to the cost of injuries, damage to property, damage to equipment, loss of production and loss of reputation. I would urge local businesses to make the most of this opportunity and contact the Council’s Health and Safety team if they require professional advice and information."