Press Release - HSE and Council team up to ensure businesses are COVID-secure

Press Release - 12 October 2020

HSE and Council team up to ensure businesses are COVID-secure

Sevenoaks District Council is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to make sure local businesses are taking action to reduce the spread of Coronavirus.

Becoming COVID-secure is now a legal duty for businesses. This means taking reasonable steps to control the risks of spreading the virus to protect workers, customers and visitors.

From this week (12 October 2020) the HSE will call hundreds of businesses throughout the Sevenoaks District asking about the Coronavirus precautions they have in place.

If businesses need help or there are concerns, Environmental Health officers from Sevenoaks District Council will visit them at a later date. Council staff will offer practical advice and guidance, but in the unlikely event there are serious concerns or a business refuses to take action, the Council could stop certain work activities until they are made safe.

Cllr Margot McArthur, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Cleaner and Greener, says: “Being COVID-secure is good for business and good for our community. So throughout the next few weeks, we will be working closely with the HSE to make sure local businesses are doing their bit to reduce the spread of the virus.

“We want to do everything possible to support our local businesses during these challenging times. Making sure they have adequate plans in place to keep everyone safe from Coronavirus is an important part of this work.”

Businesses can view the Government guidance on safe working at www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It prevents work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk

2. For HSE’s working safely guidance see https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/index.htm

3. For Government guidance on working safely, see https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Issued by: Daniel Whitmarsh, Communication and Consultation Manager
Call: 01732 227414
e-mail: daniel.whitmarsh@sevenoaks.gov.uk