Health and safety report details hundreds of offences

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued its second annual Offences and Penalties Report in which it has identified hundreds of companies and organisations convicted of health and safety offences during 2000-01.

The report’s roster includes several big-name companies as well as small firms, local authorities, hospitals, universities and individuals, with full details of each conviction on the HSE website database.

HSE Director General, Timothy Walker, commented: “This report builds on the success of last year’s Offences and Penalties Report. I hope it will continue to create pressure for improvement on those who have failed in their health and safety responsibilities towards workers and the general public. I also hope it will deter others, who will not want to be identified in this way.”

During 2000-01, HSE prosecuted for a total of 2,077 offences and gained convictions for more than 70 per cent of these. HSE also issued a total of 11,058 enforcement notices over the same time period, to enforce compliance with health and safety law.

Mr Walker continued: “All the cases that we bring to court involve serious breaches of the criminal law. We have set out in the report a few examples which illustrate the seriousness of the offences we are talking about and the level of fines that the courts have considered appropriate.”

He added that he would like to see more consumers consulting the report and using the information in deciding who to give their custom to. “This will help give a competitive edge to organisations who strive to safeguard people’s health and safety by complying with the law,” Mr Walker concluded. (CL)