The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) report for 2001/02, identifies almost 900 companies, organisations and individuals convicted of health and safety offences during 2001/2002, more than 84 per cent of cases brought. The average fine increased by 39 per cent, from £8,790 in 2000/01 to £12,194 in 2001/02. This rise is mainly due to a marked increase in penalties handed down by the higher courts, where fines are unlimited. The lower court average fine is almost unchanged.
There were substantial increases in average fines for the construction (62 per cent rise), manufacturing (47 per cent rise) and mining and quarrying industries (20 per cent rise). The average fine in the services and agricultural sectors remained largely unchanged.
You can download the report as a PDF file, and full details of convictions are available on the HSE’s prosecutions database.
Health and Safety Commission (HSC) Chair Bill Callaghan said: “Health and safety offences are serious crimes. They can cause extreme pain and grief to the victims and their families and it is vital that the level of fines reflects this. While I would prefer not to see incidents and injuries happen in the first place, I am very encouraged to see that the average level of fines in 2001/02 rose by nearly 40 per cent. This sends out a strong message to the small minority of employers who do not take their health and safety responsibilities seriously”.
