hse48HSE now 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 who break health and safety laws are liable for recovery of HSE’s related costs, including inspection, investigation and taking enforcement action. Download the pdf file.
Why is FFI being introduced? HSE and the government believe it is right that businesses that break health and safety laws should pay for HSE’s time in putting matters right, investigating and taking enforcement action. Before FFI was introduced, this was paid for from the public purse. FFI will also encourage businesses to comply in the first place or put matters right quickly when they don’t. It will also discourage businesses who think that they can undercut their competitors by not complying with the law and putting people at risk.
Will FFI apply to me? If you comply with the law you won’t pay a fee.
FFI only applies to work carried out by HSE’s inspectors so if your business is inspected for health and safety by another regulator, such as local authority environmental health officers, it will not apply. FFI will apply to all businesses and organisations inspected by HSE, except for:
self-employed people who don’t put people at risk by their work;
those who are already paying fees to HSE for the work through other arrangements;
and those who deliberately work with certain biological agents.
