HSC PUBLISHES STATISTICS OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT IN LOCAL AUTHORITY ENFORCED SECTORS FOR 2001/02

HSC press release: C032:03 - 31 July 2003

The Health & Safety Commission (HSC) today publishes the latest detailed statistics on inspection and enforcement action in local authority (LA) enforced sectors in 2001/02 - HELA Health and Safety Activity Bulletin 2003. The document can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/index.htm

The key features of the 2001/02 statistics are:

LA inspectors made 266,000 visits during 2001/02, 11 % fewer than the previous year. Of these, 157 000 were preventive inspections involving a full inspection of health and safety standards and a further 19 000 were to investigate the circumstances surrounding workplace accidents.

Many local authority inspectors combine health and safety duties with other public protection work. The full-time equivalent (FTE) number of health and safety inspectors was 1060, marginally lower than in 2000/01 (1070). The number has dropped since the mid 1990's, although the rate of decline has reduced.

The rate of visiting was 23 visits per 100 premises in 2001/02, compared with 25 in 2000/01, and has steadily declined throughout the 1990's. There were an average 251 visits per FTE inspector in 2001/02, compared with 280 in 2000/01. The rate of visiting (per 100 premises) has dropped by 17% since 1998/99. This represents a steady increase in the number of premises per FTE, and the recent drop in visits per FTE in 2001/02.

The rate of visiting residential accommodation and wholesale premises were 34 and 32 visits per 100 premises respectively, and have remained relatively stable since 1997/98. Reported injury figures suggest the risk of injury, both fatal and non-fatal, in some form, is high in these premises. In residential care homes, fatal injuries to members of the public increased from 6 in 2000/01, to 19 in 2001/02. In wholesale, there is a high rate of fatal injury to employees, when compared to the average for the mainly LA enforced sectors.

During 2001/02 local authorities issued 5960 enforcement notices, 3% more than in 2000/01. The number of prohibition notices increased by 5% in 2001/02, although numbers have generally fluctuated over the last five years.

In 2001/02, there were 5.1 formal notices issued per 1000 premises. This rate has remained relatively stable since 1998/99 and is highest in the wholesale industry, at just below three times the average.

In 2001/02, 325 informations laid/ complaints taken were completed, resulting in 307 convictions, giving a conviction rate of 94% (the highest since 1997/98). The average fine per conviction was £3134, 20% lower than in 2000/01 (£3903).

Notes to editors

1. 410 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are responsible for enforcing health and safety law in around 1.2 million premises, such as offices, retail/wholesale distribution outlets, hotel and catering establishments, residential care homes, consumer services and the leisure industry. Section 18(4) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires LAs to perform their duties in accordance with guidance from HSC.

2. HSC proposes new or updated laws and standards, and provides information and advice, whilst enforcement is divided between LAs and HSE, depending on the main activity carried out at work premises. The HSE/LA Enforcement Liaison Committee (HELA) was set up in 1975 to ensure consistency in enforcement among LAs and between LAs and HSE.

3. The statistics in the Bulletin are based on annual returns from local authorities. These returns are the main source of information on LA health and safety activity relating to staff resources, premises, visits, complaints and enforcement. Statistics are available for Great Britain, as well as the devolved administrations, and estimates are made for LAs that do not complete a return.

4. Local authority inspection and enforcement statistics have previously been published in the annual HELA National Picture. This year, for the first time, these statistics are being published in this new Bulletin, to meet with National Statistics release standards of providing statistics as soon as they become available.

5. The latest injury and ill-health figures will also be available for release around November 2003 in a new HELA National Picture, and will include an account of progress towards the Revitalising Health and Safety targets (ill-health and fatal and major injury). There will also be a HELA 'Annual Report' for 2002/03, to be released on 10 December 2003, coinciding with the HELA Annual Conference. This report will summarise local authorities' enforcement, promotional and other related activities reported during the past year. In addition, a 'Summary Report' will be issued early in 2004, setting out key issues from these reports, with top level comments for local authority Chief Executives, Leaders of Councils, Chairs of Environmental Health/Health and Safety Committees, etc.

6. New arrangements for 'National Statistics' were launched by the Government in July 2000, to enhance the integrity and quality of official statistics. The National Statistics logo, which is on the HELA Health and Safety Activity Bulletin 2003, means that the statistics concerned must be produced to high professional standards, subject to regular quality assurance reviews, and published free from political interference. To achieve this, the National Statistics arrangements include an independent Statistics Commission, a Code of Practice, and mechanisms for consultation with stakeholders.

NB: HSE officials are happy to answer questions on the contents of the publications issued today, but cannot provide detailed information on individual LAs. Such information should be sought from relevant LA(s).

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