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Contractor groups fear lack of ‘rigour’ and changes in HSE ’behaviour’
Consultation on HSE proposal for cost recovery ends on 14th October 2011. Costs are planned to be recovered from the start of a “material breach” of health and safety legislation to the point where HSE “support” has concluded.
It has been reported by CNPlus that the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) and the Civil Engineering Contractors Group (CECA) are among group raising conerns over the HSE cost recovey plans.
Lack of rigour in deciding on charges
UKCG chief executive Stephen Ratcliffe is reported to have said members are not opposed to the changes but the proposals are “flawed”. He warned the charging regime would “change inspectors’ behaviour” and there “appears to be a lack of rigour in the processes for deciding whether or not a charge is due and in appealing charges”.
Mr Ratcliffe said that further scrutiny was required to justify such a high cost and suggested the proposed collection system “appears to be overly bureaucratic”. He also raised concerns around the definition of a “material breach” being “entirely dependent” on inspectors’ views.
A spokesman for CECA said:
“Cost recovery has the potential to raise significant revenue for the HSE, at a time when it is facing a tough budget settlement. We are concerned that, without adequate safeguards, these measures may drive the wrong sort of behaviours at the HSE, incentivising revenue-raising over improving safety performance by industry.”
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) policy manager Peter O’Connell told CNPlus that FMB was “broadly comfortable” with the proposals.