Hyndburn Borough Council is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to contact businesses in Hyndburn, supporting them to remain COVID-secure to help tackle COVID-19.

The Council will once again be providing advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors.  If any businesses are not managing this, the Council will take immediate action, which can range from specific advice about putting adjustments in place, issuing enforcement notices, or stopping certain work practices until they are made safe. If businesses fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution.

Council Leader, Miles Parkinson OBE, said; “Our team, which we’re boosting with some newly-appointed Business Information Officers, are talking to local businesses and inspecting sites in and around Hyndburn to understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity.  Being COVID-secure needs to be the priority for all our Hyndburn businesses.  They have a legal duty to protect their workers and others from harm and to follow the government guidance on working safely.  The Council can help and recommends that employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the local community.”

Cllr Parkinson added; “We know this is a challenging time for many businesses and we want to do all we can to help.  You can see details of the national and local schemes available on our website at https://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/business-and-employers.”

Across the country, HSE and local authority inspectors are finding some common issues including failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, supervising and maintaining social distancing, and failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime particularly at busy times of the day.

All businesses, of any sector or size, may receive an unannounced check to ensure they are COVID-secure. By making sure that businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, the Council and HSE aims to support the health of the local community as well as the local and national UK economy.  The Council is also working alongside local public health teams to support the understanding of any patterns in confirmed coronavirus cases in the area.

For the latest information and safer business guidance, see www.gov.uk.