Defence, Security & Space

Public administration: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your public administration body (SIC division 84) meets its workplace, equality and data-protection obligations. Work through each item and answer yes or no. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

UK-wide
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UK-wide

Related guides in Health & Safety

Use this checklist to confirm your public administration body meets its obligations. Work through each item and answer yes or no. If you answer no, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Many public administration bodies are Crown employers. Crown bodies cannot be prosecuted for health and safety breaches — the HSE deals with failures through Crown censure — but the underlying duties apply with full force and individual employees can be prosecuted. Health and safety is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and by HSENI in Northern Ireland.

Section 1 — Workplace and employment duties

These duties apply to every public administration body as an employer. Confirm each one.

  1. 1

    Have you written your risk assessments and put safe systems of work in place?

    Your general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of your people. Risk-assess office work, lone working, site visits, driving for work and any specialist risks your function carries, and put safe systems of work, training and supervision in place. If not, follow "Set up and run a safe public administration operation".

  2. 2

    Have you carried out your fire risk assessment?

    The responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment for every premises under your control under the fire-safety regime for your nation. In England, Crown premises are inspected by the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements.

  3. 3

    Have you confirmed your employers' liability insurance position?

    Most public administration bodies — including government departments and local authorities — are exempt under section 3 of the 1969 Act. If your body is not exempt, hold at least £5 million of cover and display or make available the certificate.

  4. 4

    Have you embedded the Public Sector Equality Duty?

    As a public body you must have due regard to eliminating discrimination, advancing equality and fostering good relations (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). Publish your equality objectives and information as the specific duties for your nation require. In Northern Ireland, separate equality legislation applies, enforced by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

  5. 5

    Is your data-protection regime in place, including your lawful bases and publication scheme?

    You must comply with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. As a public authority you cannot rely on legitimate interests for processing in the exercise of your public tasks — use public task, legal obligation or consent. Carry out Data Protection Impact Assessments for high-risk processing. Maintain your Freedom of Information publication scheme and respond to requests within 20 working days.

If you answered no to anything

Work through the guide linked in that item. The spine — Set up and run a safe public administration operation — sets out what to do. Start from the router if you are not sure which duties apply to you.

Official sources

Authoritative health and safety, equality and data-protection guidance for public bodies.