HSE launches Cost Recovery consultation

Last Friday 22 July 2011 HSE launched its three-month consultation on plans for costs of interventions to be recovered from businesses found to be in material breach of health and safety law.   Under ‘fee for intervention’, costs would be recovered from the start of the intervention where a material breach of duty was identified up to the point where HSE’s intervention in supporting businesses in putting matters right had concluded. No costs would apply for purely technical breaches and compliant dutyholders would pay nothing.

The Government has agreed the underlying principle of ‘fee for intervention’ and the new scheme could apply as early as April 2012 if it proves feasible. The aim of the consultation is to provide businesses and other stakeholders with the opportunity to comment and share their views on how the costs will be recovered in practice. The deadline for consultation responses is 14 October.

 The consultation document, impact assessment and an online questionnaire to facilitate response to the consultation can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd235.htm.

Article from SAfety Groups UK