Page 31 - BOSS Today Issue 11

HEALTH & SAFETY

Still keeping an

eye on you

The Health and Safety Executive is scaling back its visits.
But this is not the good news it appears to be at first

ometimes it appears that under the reporting of injuries, intervention or material breach that this is a cost which excludes
Government cutbacks may diseases and dangerous identified. Material breaches any criminal prosecutions they
Snot be a bad thing. Take, occurrences regulations are still to be clarified by the may face.
for example, what is happening (RIDDOR), they can sit back and HSE, but in general, once an Admittedly if the employer has
with the Health and Safety take their eye off the health and inspector identifies a workplace a dispute about fees, there will
Executive (HSE). safety ball. contravention - whether it was be independent external input
It is going through significant But in fact, BOSS and the identified through a RIDDOR to the final stage of the process,
changes as a result of funding BPIF has already submitted its report or a disgruntled employee to avoid the HSE being seen
cuts that will see a total budget comments on the HSE report - employers will see costs as judge and jury on the entire
slash of 35 per cent over the next which proposed to put the sector mounting against them. process.
two to three years. in Band D, the lowest risk possible. Costs will start accumulating But the message is clear.
This has led to it having We wrote back to the HSE in light from when the inspector Although the HSE now appears
to scale back its support for of the report, as we disagreed confirms the breach to the to be parking the industry in the
certain industry sectors through on many points – not least the employer, either by a letter, email, long grass, employers still need
recognised committees such as perception of ‘low risk’. or enforcement notice. The to be consciously maintaining
the Printing Industry Advisory clock then really starts ticking, a proactive approach to the
Committee (PIAC). Perhaps more Reactive as the inspector will record topic of good risk management
importantly, it has also had to cut Why is this? Well, for one thing any additional time incurred practices. Because from this April,
back on the number of proactive the HSE’s strategy for reactive or intervention required with any contravention of workplace
inspection visits it makes. visits won’t just be driven by the business. Employers must regulations can and will become
As the HSE is required to certain incidents reported also be aware that the cost can extremely costly.
concentrate more time on to the regulator to comply spiral, as at times field inspectors The only exception – for the
securing compliance from with RIDDOR. They will also will return back to the business moment – is local authorities.
high-risk businesses and be influenced by employees with a colleague, who may be Although they regulate
poor performers, many other complaining to the regulator specially trained in mechanics or workplace legislation for other
industries, including the printing about poor standards of to look at noise issues. If such a sectors, including, for example,
and print supply sector, have health and safety or welfare specialist has been called by the photocopy centres, local
been downgraded as ‘low risk’, arrangements as well as field inspector, the employer will authorities themselves are to
which means that from April this employees and visitors whistle see double costs for that visit. be excluded from the scheme.
year they will only be visited on a blowing on the business. The original proposal for an But this too may change in the
reactive basis. On top of this, with the hourly rate of £133 per hour for future.
Some employers, of course, reduction of proactive an intervention has now been
may view this as an entirely inspections comes the reduced to £124, counted from n FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
good thing. They may believe introduction of ‘Fee for fault’. This when a letter or e-mail recording PLEASE CONTACT YOUR
that as long as they do not have will allow the HSE inspector to the duty-holder’s breach is sent. REGIONAL H&S ADVISER ON
an incident which is reportable charge the business for any HSE But employers must be mindful 0845 450 1565

March 2012 | BOSS TODAY 31

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