Risks
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) do recover their costs for their input if they visit you and identify a ‘material breach’ of Health and Safety Law. A Material Breach being classed as something an inspector considers to be serious enough that they need to formally write to the business requiring action to be taken to deal with the material breach. This is called a ‘Fee For Intervention’ (FFI) and at April 2021 an Inspectors hourly fee. is £160.00
A point to consider
Offices and Warehousing
Burns/Smoke inhalation form fire, Electric shock from damaged or faulty electrical system or appliances in use, Work Related Upper Limb Disorders from poor posture, use of keyboard, mice and/or Laptops, Musculoskeletal disorders if handling or moving various items Not necessarily those considered to be ‘heavy’, Slips and Trips from uneven or surfaces that become slippy if wet.
Factories and Manufacturing
Being struck by a Vehicle reversing or a Fork-Lift Truck (FLT), Musculoskeletal disorders from handling heavy, awkward and/or unwieldy loads, varying injuries from automated packing machines, Being struck by wrapping machines, Trapped fingers/limbs from conveyors, Crush injuries from loads falling from racking or an unstable load being transferred by FLT plus all the risks identified for offices and more.
Buildings and Construction
Various injuries from a Fall when working at height, Crush injuries from being struck by plant or moving objects, Being struck by objects falling from height, Cuts to hands/limbs from misused or poorly maintained equipment, Respiratory damage from inhaling solvents, silica particles, asbestos fibres or exhaust gases, Asphyxiation from the air being displaced if work is in a confined space, Musculoskeletal disorders from handling heavy, awkward and/or unwieldy loads, Cancer from exposure to bright light e.g. sunlight, welding arc and various hazardous substances in common use to highlight a few.
Other Factors
Fines for noncompliance or failure to protect the workforce and other people affected by the operation will be determined according to the specific offence and even the severity potential. As an example, offences committed on and after the 12th March 2015 the maximum penalty in the magistrates’ court is an unlimited fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both. In the Crown Court, the maximum penalty is an unlimited fine or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both. In addition, the court can also impose publicly or community orders and a fee to cover the prosecutions costs.