Step up to the plate on safety

It has been just over 12 months since the HSE announced its Fee for Intervention scheme (FFI) to help recover costs from businesses that have failed to comply with health and safety regulations. From the off, IOSH has supported the principle of a proportionate cost recovery scheme. As an organisation passionate about saving lives in the workplace, we could see the benefits in a system that transfers cost from the taxpayer to those organisations that carelessly put people at risk. In theory, the scheme helps create a level playing field to make sure that all businesses are equal in addressing their responsibility. Businesses, no matter what size, must realise both the humanitarian and financial benefits that investing in proportionate health and safety controls can have. Not only can you help prevent accidents and fatalities by having strategies in place, you can also cut lost-time incidents, boost attendance and save money, by investing in good health and safety in the workplace. During the scheme's initial consultation, IOSH raised concerns over the possible deterioration in relationships between duty-holders and enforcers as a result of the scheme. Thankfully, we are yet to see this happen. In our most recent membership survey, IOSH members raised concerns around the lack of resources currently available to the HSE. Respondents also highlighted that FFI could cause the HSE to become reactive, less proactive, and not as helpful as it has been. So far, HSE has been transparent and fair, but if an IOSH member did have concerns over impartiality, we would support them in raising the issue, but this would of course need to be evidence-based. Since FFI was introduced, HSE has been accused of adopting a blank cheque book mentality, but IOSH does not support this accusation. Not only are these challenging financial times, we are also seeing challenges politically, too. While the UK is the only country I am aware of where a fee for intervention exists, we have to remember that this isn't a move to make things more difficult for companies during tough economic times – rather an initiative to encourage companies to take responsibility and step up to the plate when it comes to occupational health and safety. Those who adopt a good approach to health and safety have nothing to fear.