Health and Safety Consultancy in Cheltenham

A display screen equipment assessment identifies risks for workers who regularly use computers, tablets, or other screens as a significant part of their job. Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, employers must carry out these assessments and act on the findings.

Landlords who let commercial premises have legal duties to maintain common areas, shared systems, and the structure of the building in a safe condition. In Cheltenham's busy town centre office and retail properties, landlords and tenants must clearly agree who is responsible for which safety obligations.

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to assess and reduce workers' exposure to loud noise that could cause hearing damage over time. Businesses in Cheltenham's event, hospitality, and live music venues are particularly likely to need noise risk assessments.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to avoid unnecessary manual handling and to assess and reduce the risks where it cannot be avoided. Training staff in safe lifting and moving techniques is a key part of meeting this duty.

A near miss is an unplanned event that did not cause injury or damage but easily could have done. Recording and investigating near misses helps businesses spot patterns and fix problems before a more serious incident occurs.

Businesses near the racecourse that see a significant increase in footfall, temporary staff, or deliveries during festival periods need to review their risk assessments to reflect those changed conditions. Crowd management, temporary structures, and increased manual handling all bring additional hazards that require specific controls.

Known as RIDDOR, this legislation requires employers to report certain workplace accidents, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the HSE. Failure to report qualifying incidents is itself a criminal offence separate from the underlying safety failure.

A fire risk assessment focuses specifically on ignition sources, fuel sources, means of escape, detection, and emergency procedures within a premises. It is a separate legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and must be kept up to date.

Induction training should cover emergency procedures, reporting hazards, safe use of equipment, and any site-specific risks relevant to the new starter's role. It should be completed before a new employee begins working independently, not days or weeks later.

An asbestos management plan sets out how a business will identify, monitor, and manage asbestos-containing materials found in a building. Many of Cheltenham's older commercial and civic buildings pre-date the asbestos ban and duty holders must have a plan in place under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

A prohibition notice from the HSE stops a specific activity immediately because of serious risk of personal injury. An improvement notice requires a business to fix a problem within a set timeframe but does not stop work in the meantime.

Employers must carry out a specific risk assessment before a young person under 18 starts work, taking into account their lack of experience and physical development. Cheltenham's strong tourism, retail, and hospitality sectors regularly take on young workers and work experience students, making this a common compliance gap.