Complaint to HSE: Thanet Council’s Two-Tier Safety Policy

On 22 July, Thanet District Council’s (TDC) Cabinet approved a new Corporate Health and Safety Policy 2026. Despite spanning 25 pages and identifying 35 separate safety areas—ranging from Asbestos Management to Workplace Welfare—the word "heat" does not appear once.

Nor do any of the following critical terms:

• Hot weather or heatwaves

• Climate, sun, UV, or shade

• Hydration, drinking water, or cooling

• Air conditioning, thermal comfort, or fatigue and heatstroke

Out of a workforce of roughly 500 people, a massive portion work outdoors for a living. Yet, 15 fundamental terms related to outdoor hot-weather safety have been completely omitted from the policy meant to protect them.

The word "temperature" appears exactly once, buried in a generic list of indoor building requirements: "adequate lighting, ventilation, temperature control, and welfare facilities". This safely describes a climate-controlled office. It offers zero protection for a worker dragging wheelie bins across melting tarmac at midday in the scorching summer heat.

Health & Safety Segregation

This biased policy actively excludes the health and safety needs of nearly a quarter of the council's staff. By ignoring outdoor hazards, especially the danger of excessive heat, TDC has created an unfair, two-tier system where outdoor workers are effectively left outside the protection of the law. Because of this potentially dangerous negligence, I have submitted a formal complaint to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The Legal Framework

While British law does not dictate a maximum working temperature, TDC cannot evade its explicit statutory duties:

• Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: Requires employers to prepare and regularly revise a written health and safety policy for all employees. No exclusions, no exemptions.

• Regulation 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: Mandates that employers implement effective arrangements for planning, organising, and monitoring preventative measures based on the nature of their activities.

  
  

By completely ignoring the heat-related hazards faced by outdoor workers, TDC’s policy is in clear breach of health and safety law. Consequently, the Labour Cabinet members who voted to approve this policy on 22 July may also be personally complicit in this failure.

Why the HSE Must Intervene

The HSE is responsible for regulating local authorities and enforcing statutory safety compliance. It holds significant punitive powers.

In 2016, the HSE successfully prosecuted TDC, resulting in a £250,000 fine after safety failures caused 20 grounds maintenance staff to contract vibration white finger.

I have now officially requested that the HSE investigate the development and approval of this 2026 policy.

My objective is clear: to persuade the HSE to declare the current document non-compliant and to legally compel TDC to rescind its current discriminatory policy and to draft a new one that explicitly protects staff working in extreme heat.

Action Required from Green Councillors

the adoption by Labour councillors of this deeply flawed safety policy is an act of of climate change injustice.

As a Green Party member, I have called upon TDC’s six Green councillors to spearhead the fight for a fair workplace. They must table a formal motion to rescind this discriminatory and unjust policy and replace it with one that is both inclusive and lawful. I look forward to working alongside them to resolve this urgent issue.

Expect further updates soon regarding this safety failure and the ongoing Thanet rubbish crisis.

Whistleblowers: If you have information regarding institutional failures or misconduct at TDC or anywhere else in Thanet, contact me in the strictest confidence:

• Phone: 07866588766

• Email: ianddriver@yahoo.co.uk