HSE begins Fees for Intervention

London – 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 liable for recovery of HSE’s related costs, including, inspection, investigation and taking enforcement action.

According to the HSE, the many businesses that comply with their legal obligations will continue to pay nothing. Detailed guidance for businesses and organisations is available on HSE’s website.

Developed in consultation with representatives from industry, it explains how the scheme works and includes examples of how it will be applied.

“The most basic safety mistakes in the workplace can devastate lives and result in real costs to industry,” said Geoffrey Podger, HSE’s chief executive.

“It is right that those who fail to meet their legal obligations should pay HSE’s costs rather than the public purse having to do so,” he added.

Fee for Intervention provides a further incentive for businesses to manage health and safety effectively and to operate within the law, the HSE claims. It should, it said, also help level the playing field between those who comply and those who don’t.