I want to make a health and safety complaint

Making a complaint or getting advice

If you think your employer is exposing you to risks or is not carrying out their legal duties, and you have pointed this out without getting a satisfactory answer or think it requires immediate action you can contact the relevant enforcing authority for health and safety in your workplace.

Health and safety inspectors can give advice on how to comply with the law.

They also have powers to enforce it.

Whether you are an employee or a member of the public you can report your concerns if you feel a commercial premises is unsafe or you have been subject to an injury due to a preventable accident.

To ensure your complaint is dealt with as quick as possible please see the section below to find the correct enforcing authority to report to.

Making Contact with the Relevant Enforcing Body

Hastings Borough Council as the responsible Local Authority enforces Health and Safety legislation within its area in the following workplaces:

• Catering, restaurants and pubs;
• Consumer Services;
• Hotels, camps, caravan sites and short stay accommodation;
• Leisure and cultural;
• Offices;
• Common parts, car parks;
• Churches and their graveyards;
• Residential care (but not nursing homes);
• Retail shops, petrol stations;
• Wholesale shops;
• Warehouses

There are exceptions to these categories including all Local Authority premises or where the main site activity is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive (i.e. canteens in factories).

All other types of work are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive who can be contacted at:

Health and Safety Executive, South East Area Office, Phoenix House, 23-25 Cantelupe Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3BE
Telephone:  01342 334200 or Fax:  01342 334222

HSE's Employment Medical Advisory Service can give advice on health at work, and can be contacted at:

Employment Medical Advisory Service, Phoenix House, 23-25 Cantelupe Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3BE
Telephone:  01342 334200 or Fax:  01342 334222

Sussex Fire and Rescue

You can get advice on general fire precautions and means of escape etc from:

Safety Advice

Fire Safety or Community Safety:
Telephone: 0845 130 8855
Freephone Community Fire Safety Hotline:
Freephone: 0800 731 9119
Firesetters Confidential Hotline:
Freephone: 0800 731 9119

For Operational (Firefighting) Activities

Hove, Lewes, Barcombe, Newhaven and Seaford areas:
Telephone: 01273 730254
Brighton and Roedean areas:
Telephone: 01273 685152
Forest Row, Eastbourne, Uckfield, Crowborough, Mayfield, Wadhurst, Burwash, Heathfield and Hailsham areas:
Telephone: 01825 745901
Hastings (Bohemia Road and The Ridge), Battle, Broad Oak, Rye, Bexhill, Pevensey and Herstmonceux areas:
Telephone: 01424 440136

You can find a full breakdown of enforcing responsibilities for health and safety on the Health and Safety Executive website.