Ipswich Borough Council has a legal duty to enforce the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and related legislation.

The Ipswich Occupational Health and Safety team is responsible for ensuring that work premises in the borough are safe for employees and visitors and that accidents are prevented wherever possible. 

The main duties involve:

• Inspecting places of work to ensure compliance with health and safety law, in accordance with government priorities
• Using educational techniques, as well as legal means, to achieve compliance in line with our Environmental Health Enforcement policy
• Investigating accidents to employees or others which occur in workplaces
• Investigating complaints about health, safety or welfare in work premises
• Registering premises and individuals to undertake acupuncture, tattooing, cosmetic piercing, electrolysis and/or skin colouring
• Advising on the Public Safety licensing objective for applications under the Licensing Act 2003
• Working with planning and building control officers to advise on the health and safety implications of new developments
• Giving advice to customers and stakeholders on health and safety issues
• Working with other health professionals in Suffolk and across the country

Help and advice

Up to date guidance on most health and safety topics is available free of charge on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.

Specific advice on areas of particular interest can be found on the following webpages:

• Health and safety basics for your business
• Asbestos – Frequently asked questions;
• Report an incident – How to make a RIDDOR report.

Making a complaint about health, safety or welfare conditions in a workplace

If you wish to make a complaint about health, safety or welfare conditions in a workplace, please have the full details ready when you contact us.  We will need to take your name and contact details in order that we can keep you informed of the progress of the complaint.

It should be noted that, due to the nature of the work being undertaken, for some premises within Ipswich responsibility for enforcing health and safety law will fall to the HSE rather than the Council. In such cases any complaints should be submitted using the HSE online concerns reporting form. Guidance on whether a particular type of workplace is the responsibility of the HSE or the Council can be found at: Is HSE the correct enforcing authority for you?

Ipswich Borough Council has signed up to the Cabinet Office Enforcement Concordat which commits us to good enforcement practices.

Contact the team

If you have any questions or comments please get in touch using the contact details displayed on this page, or call in to the Customer Services Centre.