On 6th April, the Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2016 came into force, increasing all of the fees charged by the HSE and other licensing authorities (such as the police, fire and rescue services and local authorities) by 4 per cent. For example, the new regulations increased the hourly rate for the HSE’s Fee for Intervention (FFI) cost recovery scheme from £124 to £129.
The HSE increased its cost recovery rates after experiencing a deficit in its main cost recovery regimes for the last two years. Whilst the HSE’s appropriate level of regulatory activity has been relatively stable during that period, costs for specialist staff has increased significantly. Rising staff costs, coupled with inflationary pressures for 2016-2017 and increased employer national insurance costs, made the previous fees impractical.
To help minimise any extra costs your business may have to pay under the new regulations, ensure that your organisation remains compliant by following these two pieces of guidance:
- Conduct an annual risk assessment for each task and piece of equipment—no matter how innocuous—and develop processes to address any potential risks.
- Develop a forum—either online or in-person—for your employees to discuss potential health and safety hazards that they regularly encounter.
However, what may be the most beneficial strategy is to contact the experts at Bollington Insurance Brokers and discuss what your organisation can do to ensure that you remain compliant.
