WAREHOUSES in Worcester could receive early morning inspections under plans by environmental officers to cut the number of accidents.

New figures reveal "warehouse activities" were the highest cause of non-fatal injuries to staff and members of the public over the last year.

And concern is mounting over the number of accidents occurring in the city's retail industry.

"What we hope to do is start looking at early morning activities and pick-up premises where early morning deliveries involve vehicles," Roy Fidoe, head of the city's council's environmental health, told this week's environmental health sub-committee meeting.

"Not only retail premises, but we will also look at builder's merchants yards with the aim of assisting businesses trying to devise a system for safe operations."

Mr Fidoe said the inspections could ultimately lead to the creation of a guidebook giving tips on how to improve safety.

Although a new report on health and safety revealed 28 fatalities nationally over the last year, there were none in Worcester.

There were an estimated 178 notifications of injuries to both workers and members of the public, of which 38 per cent involved people in warehouses.

The retail industry came second, claiming 24 per cent of all notifiable accidents.

Mr Fidoe told the meeting that environmental health officers wanted to be more active in enforcing safety.

The city has two full-time health and safety officers, who share responsibility for 1,012 premises.

Over the last year, the number of inspections dropped by 38 per cent, with the decrease being blamed on more time needed for each visit.

A third post has been approved and will be advertised after it goes before the council's personnel sub-committee on Monday, October 2.

Councillor Richard Udall called for more self-employed businesses to be made aware of their health and safety duties.

Councillor Ray Turner said builders' merchant yards should also be looked at.

"Builders yards have no experience of health and safety and no supervision," he said.