Routine inspections by the HSE will be temporarily suspended while the country is in lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. While it will continue to respond to serious issues, the HSE has stopped work that cannot be completed from home.

An HSE spokesperson said:

"We remain committed to responding to any serious issues that arise, in construction or any other sector, and our enforcement priorities have not changed. However, in line with government guidance to cease all but essential work that cannot be done outside of the home, minimising contact between individuals, HSE has paused all proactive inspections at this time to reduce any risk posed to our own staff and to members of the public.”

Normally, the HSE may visit your premises if:

• they have evidence that health and safety performance is poor;
• you operate in one of a number of hazardous industries; or
• they want to investigate a specific incident (accident or work-related illness) or complaint.

HSE and local authority staff also carry out a limited number of visits to:

• make an assessment of the risks in new businesses or premises;
• target certain geographical areas or sectors usually to concentrate on specific priorities such as bad backs or workplace transport;
• do random ‘spot checks’ on compliance; and/or
• keep abreast of new developments and processes or for training purposes.

Find out more in the HSE’s inspection guidance.