Environmental Health - Health and Safety At Work

Frequently Asked Questions for this Service

Question: I run/own a business - do health and safety laws apply to me?

Answer: Yes - they apply to all businesses, however small. Also to the self-employed and to employees.

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Question: How can I get advice about Health and Safety?

Answer: A selection of useful advisory leaflets are available from the Health and Safety Executive. You can access their website by clicking on the link below. - Related Link

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Question: Do I have to provide my employees with protective equipment?

Answer: Personal protective equipment is to be supplied and used at work wherever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways. Further information is provided by the Health and Safety Executive in their guidance document ‘Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work'. This can be accessed by clicking on the link below. - Related Link

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Question: Do I need to register my business with the Council's Health and Safety Department?

Answer: If you don't have any employees, then you do not need to register your business. If you do, you will need to register either with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the Council’s Environmental Health Department - depending on the sort of business you have. For example: HSE for factories, farms and building sites; Environmental Health for offices, shops, hotels and catering, and leisure activities.

For more information please visit the Health and Safety Executive’s website by clicking on the link below.
- Related Link

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Question: How can I contact the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)?

Answer: Please follow the link below for ways to contact the Health and Safety Executive. - Related Link

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Question: I have asbestos in my home, what should I do?

Answer: Asbestos is a hazardous substance which can cause serious health implications if not treated correctly. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have an interactive diagram of where asbestos may be in properties constructed before the year 2000.
HSE interactive diagram - http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/building.htm

The HSE advise that it is often best to leave asbestos containing materials were they are, particularly if they are in good condition and unlikely to get damaged. Materials such as sprayed asbestos coatings, asbestos lagging / insulation or asbestos insulated board, should only be removed by a contractor licensed by the HSE. Further information can be found on the HSE website by following the link at the bottom of this page.

The Isle of Wight Council does not collect asbestos from households. Limited amounts of cement bonded asbestos (such as the flat or corrugated sheets used to build garages, sheds etc.) can be disposed of at Lynnbottom Recycling centre.

For more information about the disposal of asbestos at Lynnbottom please visit the waste and recycling pages of the Council’s website - https://www.iwight.com/Residents/Environment-Planning-and-Waste/Waste-and-Recycling/Hazardous-Waste-and-Emergencies/Asbestos1/
- Related Link

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