Health and safety offences and penalties 2003/2004 - Key statistics
- Figure 1 enforcement action taken by HSE, Great Britain,
2000/01 – 2003/04 provisional
- Figure 2 average levels of fines per case, Great Britain
– 2000/01 – 2003/04 provisional
- Figure 3 average levels of fines per case in England,
Scotland, Wales and Great Britain 2002/03 – 2003/04 provisional
- Figure 4 average fine per offence prosecuted, Great Britain,
by sector 2002/03 – 2003/04 provisional
- Figure 5 Total number of cases prosecuted by HSE’s
field operations directorate, and numbers of duty holders convicted, GB
2000/01-2003/4 provisional
- Figure 6 Total offences prosecuted and those leading
to conviction, GB, 2000/01- 2003/04 provisional
- Figure 7 Number of improvement notices Issued by HSE,
by sector 2003/04 provisional
- Figure 7.1 Comparison of number of improvement notices
by HSE, by sector 2003/04 provisional
- Figure 8 Number of prohibition notices issued by HSE,
by sector 2002/03-200304 provisional
- Figure 8.1 Comparison of number of prohibition notices
issued by HSE by sector, 2002/03 provisional
- Glossary of terms used within the statistics section
- Further Figures for 2003/2004
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Figure 1 - Enforcement
Action taken HSE, Great Britain, 2000/01 – 2003/04p
p = provisional Full Data Tables
- Figure 1 shows that the number of cases prosecuted increased by 8% in
Great Britain last year, though it is about the same as in recent years.
- In 2002/03there was a particularly high number of notices issued in
Great Britain. There was a marked increase in the number of improvement
notices issued in construction and agriculture. This was because HSE inspectors
paid extra attention to these priority areas. This has continued during
03/04. Last year the total number of notices issued has returned to a
figure similar to that of 2000/01 and 2001/02. The fall is the result
of fewer notices being issued in the manufacturing and services sector.
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Figure 2 - Average fine per case prosecuted by HSE's Field Operations Directorate, Great Britain - 2000/01 - 2003/04 provisional
p = provisional
Full Data Tables
- The average fine per case increased by 58% last year in Great Britain.
- If fines of £100,000 or more are excluded, the average fine in
2002/03 was £8,054 and £9,415 in 2003/04p.
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Figure 3 - Average Level
of Fine per Case in England, Scotland, Wales, and Great Britain 2002/03 –
2003/04p
p = provisional
Full Data Table
- Last year, across Great Britain, the average fine has increased.
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Figure 4 - Average Fine
for Offences Prosecuted, Great Britain, by Sector 2002/03 – 2003/04p
p = provisional
Full Data Tables
- There has been an increase in the average fine across all sectors, especially
in the extractive industries, where there has been a 139% increase.
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Figure 5 - Total Number
Of Cases Prosecuted By HSE’s Field Operations Directorate, and Number of Duty
Holders Convicted, Great Britain, 2000/01 - 03/04p
p = provisional
Full data table
- Figure 5 shows that the total number of cases prosecuted by Field Operations
Directorate (FOD) in Great Britain has increased by 6%, and the number
of cases convicted has increased by 2% over the last 12 months.
- The proportion of cases that led to a conviction (for one or more offences
prosecuted) in 2003/04p is 90%, slightly lower than last year’s
figure of 93%.
- Most HSE prosecutions are by FOD, 911 out of a total of 982.
- The above comparison is only available for FOD, and not for HSE as a
whole.
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Figure 6 - Total Offences Prosecuted and
those Leading to a Conviction, Great Britain, 2000/01 – 2003/04p

p = provisional
Full data tables
- The total number of offences prosecuted in Great Britain has risen by 6% over the last year. The number of these offences leading to a conviction has risen by 3%.
- The proportion of offences prosecuted leading to a conviction is 74%.
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Figure 7 - Number of
Improvement Notices Issued by HSE in Great Britain, by Sector 2002/03
– 2003/04p
p = provisional
Full data table
- The total number of improvement notices issued in 2003/2004p was 6,776 as compared to 8,140 in 2002/2003.
- The manufacturing sector continues to receive the most improvement notices,
with the extractive industries receiving the least.
- The largest percentage changes over the last 12 months can be seen in
the manufacturing sector, where the number of improvement notices decreased
by 27%, and in the services sector with a 19% decrease.
- There is a slight rise of 3% in the number of improvement notices issued
to the construction sector.
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Figure 7.1 -
Number of Improvement Notices Issued by HSE, by Sector 2003/04p

p = provisional
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Figure 8 - Number of Prohibition Notices
issued by HSE by Sector, 2002/03 – 2003/04p

p = provisional
Full data tables
- The total number of prohibition notices issued in 2003/04p is 4,519
compared to 5,184 in 2002/03.
- The construction still receives the largest amount of prohibition notices.
- The largest percentage change in the number of prohibition notices issued
in the last 12 months is in the manufacturing sector, showing a 30% decrease.
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Figure 8.1 - Number of Prohibition Notices Issued in HSE
by Sector, 2003/04p
P = provisional
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Glossary of terms
Provisional: These figures may change as final details emerge.
HSWA: The Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974 .
Complaint: In Scotland a case against one employer, individual
or other duty holder. This may involve more than one offence prosecuted.
Case: A case against one employer, individual or other duty
holder may involve more than one offence prosecuted.
Offence prosecuted: Each offence prosecuted represents a
separate ‘charge’ (or one ‘information laid’ in England
and Wales or one ‘charge preferred’ in Scotland).
Breach: An alleged offence under the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974 and related provisions.
Duty Holder: A person with a duty of care under the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
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Further Figures for 2003/2004
- The average fine per offence prosecuted in the higher courts in Great
Britain is £33,036. This is a 79% increase on last year’s
average of £18,427.
- The average fine per offence prosecuted in the lower courts in Great
Britain is £4,036. This is a 7% increase on last year’s average
of £3,777.
- The average in cases following a death is £43,113, this is a 27%
increase on last year’s average of £31,262.
- The average fine for offences prosecuted under sections 2,3,4 and 6
(the general duties) Of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act is £11,671.
This is a 17% increase on last year’s average of £9,972.·
The average fine for a breach of the regulations was £3447.
- 25 employees were prosecuted last year, of whom 19 were convicted. The
average fine was £842