Posted to News on 2nd Jul 2012, 14:43
New guidance for health and safety cost recovery scheme
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has confirmed that its cost recovery scheme, known as Fee for Intervention (FFI), will start on 1 October 2012, subject to Parliamentary approval. In preparation for this, the HSE has published detailed Guidance on the application of Fee for Intervention (FFI) (reference HSE47) on its website, explaining out how the scheme will work in practice. Developed in consultation with representatives from industry, the guidance also includes examples to show how it would be applied - one example is Machinery guarding. The HSE says that it has already completed a successful test run of the FFI scheme prior to it coming into force.
FFI enables the HSE to recover its costs when it has to spend time and resources investigating and taking enforcement action after an organisation has broken health and safety laws. Law-abiding businesses will be free from costs and will not pay a fee.
Gordon MacDonald, the HSE's programme director, states: "Confirming the date for the start of Fee For Intervention and publishing the guidance will give dutyholders clarity and certainty about the start of the scheme and what they can expect.
"We have worked with industry representatives in shaping the final form of the scheme and the published guidance explains how the scheme will work and what businesses can do to comply with the law and avoid incurring a fee.
"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. Firms who manage workplace risks properly will not pay."
The HSE Board recommended the introduction of FFI to ministers in December 2011.
Follow the link to read the FFI guidance.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
(1G) Redgrave Court
Merton Road
L20 7HS
UNITED KINGDOM
+44 (0)845 345 0055
