Health and safety
How we maintain health and safety standards within businesses in the city.
Businesses in Brighton & Hove have a responsibility to ensure that health and safety is key to their operation. It is our aim to make the city a safe place for residents, businesses and visitors.
Accidents are often the result of poor health and safety arrangements and we aim to ensure that businesses are complying with the law and are minimising the risk of injury to both workers and the public.
When health and safety is effectively managed it produces added benefits to businesses, such as a happier workforce, reduced sickness absence and leads to improved productivity of the employees and subsequently the businesses they work for.
If you are a member of the public and have a concern about health and safety in a commercial premises, need advice on health and safety issues in your own business or wish to report a health and safety concern about the business you work for, please contact the Health and Safety team.
Health Officers give advice and provide enforcement for a wide range of health and safety issues, including:
- Asbestos in commercial properties
- Beauty industry
- Hotels, guest houses and B&B safety
- Noise at work
- Smoke free legislation
- Young worker safety
- Toilet Provisions in Commercial Premises [PDF 100kb], Standards of Sanitary Appliances in places of public entertainment [PDF 1.56mb]
Additionally, there is a wealth of information on the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) website, find out more on our business advice page.
As well as visiting businesses, Health and Safety officers undertake routine inspections of a number of the city’s Cooling Towers.
Covid-19 health and safety guidance
Covid 19 Guidance and early outbreak management for Close Contact Services
Government guidance for working in close contact safely during Covid-19
Managing the Legionella risks during the Covid-19 Outbreak
FWE Legionella Leaflet (PDF 546KB)
CIEH Legionella guidance (PDF 414KB)
Early outbreak management
Find information about early outbreak management (PDF 69KB) for owners, managers and operators providing close contact services such as:
- hairdressing
- barbershops
- beauty and nail bars
- makeup
- tattoo
- spray tanning studios
Risk assessments
As an employer, you’re required by law to protect your employees, and others, from harm. As a minimum you must:
- identify what could cause injury or illness in your business (hazards)
- decide how likely it is that someone could be harmed and how seriously (the risk)
- take action to eliminate the hazard, or if this isn’t possible, control the risk
The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) step by step guide features a short video explaining what employers should do to manage risks in their workplace and protect their workers, and other people, from harm.
More information
For more help and advice contact the Health and Safety Team or for more information on enforcement go to our Environmental Health Enforcement Policy.
Read our Health and safety investigations privacy notice for information on how we collect, store and process your data.