Targeted enforcement improves health and safety

E138:05 20 October 2005

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today published its sixth annual Offences and Penalties Report 2004/5.

HSE's Acting Chief Executive Justin McCracken said, "Firm, properly targeted and proportionate enforcement underpins the action we need to take to deliver the HSC's health and safety strategy published in 2004. Our powers to take enforcement action amplify all that we do to deliver a sustainable, long-term reduction in occupational injury and ill health.

"This year's figures show we have prosecuted in fewer cases and served fewer notices than in previous years. We have identified two major factors behind the drop. One is the steady decline in the number of accidents and ill health reported to us, the other is our better targeting of resources to investigation. We are investigating fewer incidents, but a greater proportion of these are leading to prosecution.

"HSE is also devoting an increasing amount of resource to working with the police on manslaughter investigations, and estimate that this is taking up about 10% of our investigation and enforcement resource. We believe that this is the right and appropriate use of resources."

In 2004/2005:

• HSE brought 712 prosecutions securing convictions in 95% of cases
• HSE served 8445 enforcement notices

The average fine per case rose to £18,765 from £14,303 in 2003/2004. Average fines from higher courts, per offence prosecuted, rose to £46,388 from £32,216 in 2003/2004 and average fines in the lower court rose to £4,767 from £4,052 the previous year.

Justin McCracken continued, "We are pleased to see that the courts are prepared to impose larger fines but they still do not always fully reflect the seriousness of these criminal offences.

The case studies contained within the report remind us why HSE's work is so important. And why no one should be in any doubt that, where appropriate, we will take enforcement action."

Notes to editors

1. This year's report will only be available on the HSE website.

2. 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.

3. 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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