HSE Inspectors may charge for advice

Judith Hackett has announced that the executive is working on a proposal to charge those who create risks as a way of offsetting the 35% cut in the HSE’s government funding over the next five years. Hackett said that the idea is that these companies should have to pay a fee for inspectors’ work after issuing a notice or advice to rectify a fault. Hackett also revealed as private speech in London that the executive is considering how it might charge businesses for the use of its staff and resources for advice and consultation on their health and safety systems. She stressed that these are only “ideas in their early stages of development, it seems logical and fair to all duty holders that we look at ways of extending this approach to increase consistency and place any increased burden on those found to be at fault”

By 2014, the HSE will have to cut spending by around £80 million a year; following a 35% cut in government funding announced by the Comprehensive Spending Review. A report by an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Health and Safety said it would not support an extension of charging for general inspections although it would support a levy on higher risk activities to meet the costs of providing HSE regulation and advice, any other form of charging would undermine the current relationship between and employer and the inspectorate, which is currently generally positive”.

With government agencies under increasing pressure to reduce costs it seems that once again the burden may have to be met by employers, there is concern that any reduction in HSE activities will have an impact on industry, leading to increased costs from sickness absence, compensation and benefit costs.

This article was supplied by Complete Risk Solutions;

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