HSE publishes new-look offences and penalties report

HSE Press Release: E162:04 - 16 November 2004

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched its fifth annual Health and Safety Offences and Penalties Report today. As well as naming all those companies convicted in HSE prosecution cases over the past year this new-look report comments on research looking at why businesses comply with health and safety legislation.

The findings show 90% of the 1700 respondents strongly agreed that health and safety is important for staff productivity and morale, 82% felt they must comply with health and safety regulations to protect their reputation, but only 45% would be more likely to act on the regulator's advice because of its enforcement powers.

HSE Director General Timothy Walker commented:
" Our new research indicates that there are many employers who understand the benefits of good health and safety management, and are willing to learn from the mistakes of others. We can form good working partnerships with these employers, and work together to improve health and safety management. But until every employee in Great Britain works in a healthy and safe environment, there will be a continued need for HSE to use fair, reasoned and sensible enforcement as a necessary and powerful tool in ensuring that employers comply with the law. The research shows that this is the approach employers expect from us. "

The web-based report makes it easier to see HSE's enforcement action in a wider context, showing that prosecutions have increased by 6% on last year. As well as the kind of information contained in previous reports, it also includes examples of HSE working with employers to help control risks and video clips in which people recount their personal experiences of health and safety incidents.

HSE is working with industry to make Britain's workplaces among the safest in Europe. The report looks in particular at agriculture, construction, fairgrounds and an NHS trust.

HSE commercial and consumer services inspector Barry Baker said:
" The real thrill of fairground rides is feeling scared, but knowing that really you're safe. To make sure of this, the fairground industry and HSE work closely together to ensure high levels of safety are maintained. "

The report links to case studies, which show the business benefits of sound health and safety management.

Notes to editors

1. This year's report will only be available on the HSE website, hse.gov.uk/enforce/off03-04 and has a new format, aimed to make the information more accessible. The report contains a link to the 2003/04 list of offenders. HSE's prosecutions database gives further details on convictions since 1999. This is part of a wider initiative to make information on health and safety enforcement publicly available.
2. The research mentioned in the report asked employers what factors motivate them to manage the health and safety risks they face in their workplace. The research then split companies into discrete groups, and mapped onto each type of organisation those levers that may best motivate compliance with health and safety law.
3. Last Year HSE made 206,000 regulatory contacts, investigated nearly 28,000 incidents and complaints, issued 11,295 improvement and prohibition notices and brought 982 prosecution cases.
4. In England and Wales, the health and safety enforcing authorities, HSE and local authorities, bring prosecutions to court. In Scotland, the health and safety enforcing authorities recommend prosecution to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, who decide whether they will bring cases to court.

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