HSE could charge £133 per hour to recover costs
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a consultation on how a new system for recovering costs from those who break health and safety laws will operate.
Although the changes put no new health and safety duties on businesses, they place for the first time a duty on the HSE to recover the costs of its interventions in certain circumstances.
Costs would be recovered if, during an inspection or investigation, a material breach (a failure to adhere to health and safety law identified by an inspector as requiring formal action) is discovered.
Fees would apply up to the point where the HSE's intervention in supporting businesses in putting matters right has concluded.
The HSE is keen to emphasise that law-abiding businesses will be free from costs.
Under the proposals, the HSE will recover costs at current estimates of £133 per hour. Costs of any specialist support needed by HSE would also be passed on.
A three-month consultation currently underway is to decide on the detail of how cost recovery for intervention will operate.
The new scheme could apply from as early as April 2012
Gordon MacDonald, the HSE's Programme Director, said, "The Government has agreed that it is right that those who break the law should pay their fair share of the costs to put things right - and not the public purse. These proposals provide a further incentive for people to operate within the law, levelling the playing field between those who comply and those who don't. Compliant firms will not pay a penny in intervention fees."
Source: Croner
Posted Date: 26th Jul 2011