New Report Says HSE Is Underfunded

The Health and Safety Executive requires more money if it is to operate adequately, a new report has claimed.

According to the Work and Pensions Committee, an under-funded HSE had been to the detriment of employer compliance with health and safety legislation.The committee also criticised the punitive fines in place as ineffective in proving a deterrent as well as consultants for playing on employers’ fears over safety.

The report has called for more front-line health and safety inspectors, more frequent site visits, bigger fines and more prosecutions, after hearing businesses were likely to have an HSE inspection once every 14.5 years.Concerns were also raised over the proposed relocation to Merseyside as the committee fear that it will result in a loss of key HSE staff.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "We now call upon the government to release further funding to the Health and Safety Executive to be able to implement these recommendations. We are saying to the government that if you take health and safety in the workplace seriously you need to think again about these proposals to move jobs out of London which will inevitably mean a massive loss of skills and knowledge."

TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber (pictured), commented: "The theme that runs through the report is that the HSE is being asked to do too much with too little. The government needs to address the very serious resource issues that this report raises."