HSE begins ‘Fee for Intervention’
Businesses that break health and safety laws now liable for recovery of Health and Safety Executive costs
THE Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) new cost-recovery scheme, Fee for Intervention (FFI), came into force on Monday 1 October.
Under The Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2012, those who break health and safety laws are now liable for recovery of the HSE’s related costs, including, inspection, investigation and taking enforcement action.
The HSE is keen to stress, however, that those businesses that comply with their legal obligations will continue to pay nothing.
HSE chief executive Geoffrey Podger said: ‘The most basic safety mistakes in the workplace can devastate lives and result in real costs to industry, and it is right that those who fail to meet their legal obligations should pay the HSE’s costs rather than the public purse having to do so.
‘Fee for Intervention provides a further incentive for businesses to manage health and safety effectively and to operate within the law. It should also help level the playing field between those who comply and those who don’t.’
Detailed guidance for businesses and organizations is available on HSE’s website. Developed in consultation with representatives from industry, it explains how the FFI scheme works and includes examples of how it will be applied.
