The HSE recorded fee-for-intervention (FFI) time at 903 premises during the first two months of the cost recovery scheme’s operation, according to solicitors DWF.
The law firm obtained the provisional figures from the HSE via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
Though unable to provide the exact number of Notifications of Contravention, the HSE gave DWF details of the 903 premises against which it has recorded FFI time between 1 October and 30 November 2012.
Steffan Groch, DWF regulatory partner, said the figures showed the HSE had been “busy at work”.
He also noted that, of the premises where FFI time was recorded, 373 are in the construction sector — though this figure is likely to be lower than the true number of construction sites at which the HSE spent time, as transient construction work is recorded against the head office address for the relevant dutyholder.
Groch said there “appears to have been a particular focus” on construction. “It’s difficult to say why this is,” he added, “but it could be due to the sector being an easy target for inspectors, or because greater clarity is needed around the legal obligations of the construction sector. Whatever the cause, operators in the construction sector should be aware.”
The HSE told HSW its approach is to focus inspection on priority sectors and target them on specific activities in other sectors where there is evidence of poor performance.
“The relatively high numbers in construction reflect its high priority for HSE as a high risk sector, which is why construction is a division in field operations division (FOD), whereas the other high risk sectors are covered by our geographically based divisions.”
Anyone receiving a FFI invoice has 21 days from receipt in which to query it, should they believe they weren’t in material breach of the law or the time the fee is charged for is incorrect. If they remain unhappy after the HSE’s response, they have 10 days in which to lodge a dispute.
The HSE said resulting FFI invoices are not due to be sent out until the end of this month, and so there are not currently any disputes.
Though unable to provide the exact number of Notifications of Contravention, the HSE gave DWF details of the 903 premises against which it has recorded FFI time between 1 October and 30 November 2012.
Steffan Groch, DWF regulatory partner, said the figures showed the HSE had been “busy at work”.
He also noted that, of the premises where FFI time was recorded, 373 are in the construction sector — though this figure is likely to be lower than the true number of construction sites at which the HSE spent time, as transient construction work is recorded against the head office address for the relevant dutyholder.
Groch said there “appears to have been a particular focus” on construction. “It’s difficult to say why this is,” he added, “but it could be due to the sector being an easy target for inspectors, or because greater clarity is needed around the legal obligations of the construction sector. Whatever the cause, operators in the construction sector should be aware.”
The HSE told HSW its approach is to focus inspection on priority sectors and target them on specific activities in other sectors where there is evidence of poor performance.
“The relatively high numbers in construction reflect its high priority for HSE as a high risk sector, which is why construction is a division in field operations division (FOD), whereas the other high risk sectors are covered by our geographically based divisions.”
Anyone receiving a FFI invoice has 21 days from receipt in which to query it, should they believe they weren’t in material breach of the law or the time the fee is charged for is incorrect. If they remain unhappy after the HSE’s response, they have 10 days in which to lodge a dispute.
The HSE said resulting FFI invoices are not due to be sent out until the end of this month, and so there are not currently any disputes.
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