The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) operates a Fee for Intervention (FFI) cost recovery scheme, which came into effect on 1 October 2012.
Under The Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2012, those that break health and safety laws are liable for recovery of HSE’s costs, including inspection, investigation and taking enforcement action. The Fee for Intervention rate for 2012/3 is £124 an hour. If specialist help is required the full cost will still be recovered which is likely to be higher. Those Businesses that comply with their legal health and safety obligations will continue to pay nothing.
HSE states that FFI will discourage businesses who think that they can undercut their competitors by not complying with the law and putting people at risk.
Follow this link to download the summary sheet on ‘FFI - what you need to know’ produced by the HSE.