Health and safety and food hygiene regulations

We carry out inspections and investigations into health and safety arrangements for most non-manufacturing workplaces in Harborough, including:

  • Shops
  • Offices
  • Warehouses
  • Pubs and restaurants
  • Hairdressers
  • Beauty therapists

You can notify us of any concerns regarding a workplace by emailing foodandsafety@harborough.gov.uk.

Read how we enforce health and safety rules.

Other types of premises are regulated and inspected by the Health and Safety Executive.

Responsibilities of businesses

Business directors and managers can be held personally responsible for failures to control health and safety.

Where health and safety rules have been broken an employer cannot pass liability onto employees or people appointed to give competent advice.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR) require every employer to have arrangements in place to cover health and safety.  They also require all employers and self-employed persons to assess the risks to workers and any others who may be affected by their undertaking.

Employers with 5 or more employees must record the significant findings of their risk assessment.

Further guidance is available from the Health and Safety Executive.

Control of substances hazardous to health

Businesses need to control substances hazardous to health. These substances may be used directly in the work (eg cleaning chemicals) or may arise from the work (eg dust and waste products). Read advice on the control of substances hazardous to health.

There are separate rules for managing asbestos and rules for managing lead.

A health and safety assessment is the responsibility of employers.

Food hygiene

We carry out regular checks on all registered food premises in Harborough. We make sure that:

  • Risks have been identified
  • Staff are adequately trained
  • The condition and cleanliness of the premises meets required standards

Food hygiene regulations require that all businesses must produce and maintain a documented food safety management system. A guide to this is available from the Food Standards Agency.

View hygiene ratings for food businesses.

Further visits are made in response to complaints. If you wish to make a complaint about a food premises or food you have bought, please email foodandsafety@harborough.gov.uk 

Guidance on food hygiene ratings is available for businesses.

Read how we enforce food safety rules.

Fireworks advice

Trading Standards manage fireworks licences in Harborough.

Outdoor Electrical Safety in Hospitality Venues 

Businesses such as pubs, restaurants, cafés and hotels using outdoor space must ensure that indoor and outdoor appliances are safe. These businesses have a duty to ensure that electrical equipment is compatible with the fixed installation and that it is properly installed and maintained by a competent person. More information is available here.