Courses Available Online, Virtually and Classroom
Fully Certified NEBOSH, IOSH, IEMA Accredited
7-Day Customer Service

Report Heralds Success of FFI

September 2014

The report recognised that inspectors at the Health and Safety Executive have implemented ‘Fee for Intervention’ consistently and fairly since it started in October 2012, and found no evidence to suggest that enforcement policy decisions had been influenced in any way by its introduction.

The independent panel which conducted the review was chaired by Alan Harding, professor of public policy at Liverpool University. Other participants were representatives of the GMB trade union, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Brenig Moore, Operations Director at Astutis however, remains sceptical on its approriateness commenting:

"On the one hand, the justification that FFI is consistent with the 'polluter pays' principle in environmental enforcement and that the costs of regulation should be borne by the rule breakers rather than the public purse, makes sense...to a point.

However, there is significant inequity in that FFI only applies to HSE enforced businesses. Furthermore, in spite of efforts to ensure it is applied consistently and fairly, it still seems contrary to the spirit of ‘better regulation’ as there is no independent right of appeal."

According to the report’s authors, the professional approach adopted by HSE’s inspectors has ensured any challenges raised by the scheme during its first 18 months were minimised. The evidence suggests the concerns voiced about FFI have not manifested themselves to any significant or serious extent and that ‘generally inspectors and dutyholders continue to work together in improving health and safety management’.

Judith Hackitt, Chair of HSE, said:

Both HSE and the Government believe it is right that those who fail to meet their legal health and safety obligations should pay our costs, and acceptance of this principle is growing. This review gives us confidence that FFI is working effectively and should be retained. We will continue to monitor the performance of Fee for Intervention to ensure it remains consistent and fair.”

The report, published by HSE today, along with associated research papers, concludes that “it [FFI] has proven effective in achieving the overarching policy aim of shifting the cost of health and safety regulation from the public purse to those businesses who break health and safety laws.

It also concludes that:

  • Fears that FFI would be used to generate revenue have proven to be unfounded.
  • While not popular with some inspectors and dutyholders, it has been embedded effectively and applied consistently.
  • There is no viable alternative that can achieve the same aims.

The report can be found on HSE’s website: www.hse.gov.uk/fee-for-intervention/

Related News

  • Stay Safe This Easter: Most Common Hazards You Need To Know Image

    Stay Safe This Easter: Most Common Hazards You Need To Know

    As we hop into the approaching Easter holidays, celebrate with Astutis as we mark some potential hazards to be aware of over the weekend. Read on for our eggs-pert advice.
    27.03.24
  • Astutis Launches the Safety Essentials Bundle Image

    Astutis Launches the Safety Essentials Bundle

    The Safety Essentials bundle offer is here! Developed by industry experts for those looking to understand the fundamentals of health and safety. Find out how this 5-in-1 deal provides unmatched value at an unbeatable price.
    26.03.24
  • Astutis 2024 Easter Holiday Closure Update Image

    Astutis 2024 Easter Holiday Closure Update

    Find out our opening hours for the Easter holiday period, and how you can still purchase any of our courses through our Online Store or by contacting us directly.
    25.03.24
  • Astutis Launches Exclusive Presale for the New NEBOSH Fire Safety Online Course Image

    Astutis Launches Exclusive Presale for the New NEBOSH Fire Safety Online Course

    Astutis has launched an exclusive presale for the new NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety online course. This offering will empower professionals across multiple industries with knowledge and skills in fire safety management. Read on to find out how you can claim this limited time offer!
    22.03.24
  • Astutis Achieves Cyber Essentials Certification for 2024-2025 Image

    Astutis Achieves Cyber Essentials Certification for 2024-2025

    Astutis has been awarded the Cyber Essentials certificate for 2024-2025. Read on to find out why cybersecurity is always at the forefront of our minds and why this award is so important for us as a business and the customers we work for.
    20.03.24
  • Celebrating International Women's Day: Create Gender Diversity in the Workplace Image

    Celebrating International Women's Day: Create Gender Diversity in the Workplace

    To celebrate International Women’s Day, we reflect on the importance of gender equality in the workplace to promote equal opportunity for all. Find out our philosophy for creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices are not only heard but actively embraced.
    08.03.24
Section Curve
Case Studies

Real Life Stories

Find out how learners look back on their training with Astutis. Our case studies give our learners, both individual and corporate, a platform to share their Astutis experience. Discover how training with Astutis has helped past learners and delegates make the world a safer place, one course at a time.
More Image
Bottom Curve
What People Say

Hear What Our Learners Have To Say

We're always there for our customers. 98% of our learners rated their overall experience as good or outstanding. We will always pride ourselves on our customer service. But don’t take our word for it, here is what our customers have to say
  • "The platform is great, interactive and easy to navigate, I totally enjoyed the experience, recommended!"

    Igor
    25.03.2024
  • "I didn't purchase the course myself, the organization did, however I think it is fair to say it was an overall positive outcome."

    Igor
    25.03.2024
  • "Helpful staff, easy to use portal etc."

    Luke
    19.03.2024
  • "Easy to use portal, Good course."

    Luke
    19.03.2024
  • "The course was very informative. Whilst it was quite a full on 4 days it was good to have the breakout sessions to share learnings. The course materials were great to refer to as revision"

    13.03.2024
  • "The course was paid for by my employer"

    13.03.2024
  • "Great tutor and valuable study webinars prior to exams. The content notebooks need some work to update and check the content."

    Sarah
    11.03.2024
  • "Content needs work but tutor was brilliant and study webinars very valuable"

    Sarah
    11.03.2024
  • "Generally the course covers basic health and safety across many industries at a level which is both useful but not TOO in depth. I work in bio-sciences but understood the sections referring to construction well and found much of the course to be quite transferable. Speed of learning is good. Certain parts of the course (asbestos springs to mind) made questionable claims however the course allows this sort of thing to be flagged as feedback."

    Peter
    05.03.2024
  • "Good. You have a year to complete and this is about the right pace."

    Peter
    05.03.2024