A Government consultation has concluded that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should remain a non-departmental public body.
The review began in June 2013 as part of the Government’s commitment to review all public bodies every 3 years and was led by the chair of the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) Martin Temple.
Respondents maintained that the HSE was fulfilling its role as an inspection and enforcement body separate from Government which helps companies implement health and safety.
However, a significant number of comments raised concern over the introduction of the Fee for Intervention regime (FFI) which was implemented in October 2012. The cost recovery regime requires the HSE to recover its costs for carrying out regulatory functions from companies found to be in material breach of health and safety law at a fee of £124 per hour.
According to the report, the introduction of the FFI "is having a negative effect on the relationship between HSE inspectors and the businesses they inspect. In particular, the perception is that HSE inspectors will no longer fulfil the function of providing advice to the businesses they inspect."
Union Prospect deputy general secretary Garry Graham said, "The review rightly raises concerns about the new FFI model, which links the regulator’s funding to its income from 'fines', calling it a 'dangerous' model that has potentially damaged the HSE’s reputation for acting impartially and independently."
The report also made recommendations in relation to work-related ill health, noting that the HSE should continue to seek new and innovative ideas for interventions, using varying forms of media in order to reach the relevant audiences.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady welcomed the report's findings adding that it was important to take forward the recommendations in order to provide the HSE with the resources and political backing that it "so desperately" needed.
"The report is supportive of bringing together unions, employers and Government to deal with health and safety issues. We are concerned, however, that the Government's implementation of some of its recommendations could undermine this approach. It is important that unions and employers continue to play an equal role in the way the HSE operates," she said.
"There was huge support from all those who responded to the review for the work of the HSE as a public body. We believe that, given the scale of injury and illness across UK workplaces, the Government should not undermine the ability of the HSE to meet that challenge."
