Health and safety

The Health and Safety at Work Act, and all the other associated legislation applies to any work activity but the type of work activity being carried out determines which body enforces health and safety in the premises.

There are two bodies responsible for enforcement of legislation, the local authority and the Health and Safety Executive.

Activities enforced by East Ayrshire Council

1. Shops (including wholesale warehouses)

2. Offices

3. Catering services (restaurants, cafes, takeaways etc.)

4. Hotel, guest house, caravan and camping site businesses

5. Consumer services (This includes launderettes, bookmakers, shoe repairers etc.)

6. Sauna, solaria, massage activities, hair transplanting, skin and body piercing, chiropody and other cosmetic services, except where these activities are supervised or controlled by a registered medical practitioner, a dentist, physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor.

7. Cultural activities (including practice and presentation of the arts, sports, games and entertainment, and recreational activities) –but not in local authority owned premises

8. Pleasure craft hire on inland waters

9. Care, treatment, accommodation or exhibition of animals, birds and other creatures except in a veterinary surgery, horse stud farm or horse trainer’s yard

10. Funeral direction except where the main part of the business is coffin making or embalming

11. Airport car parks

12. Child care, playgroup or nursery facilities except where this is carried out in a person’s house

13. Garden centres where the main activity is retail sales

14. Mobile shops

15. Common parts of non-domestic premises, such as stairways and passages in buildings occupied by several businesses

Activities enforced by the Health and Safety Executive 

In almost every other type of work activity the enforcing body will be the Health and Safety Executive. However, if you are unsure please contact Environmental Health for further information.