The HSE has recently increased its Fee For Intervention (FFI) hourly rate from £129 to £154. A £1.9m loss was declared in 2017/18 and the hike in price is said to have been implemented to ensure that the HSE can cover all of their operating costs, and to stop running at a deficit.
FFI was originally introduced in October 2012 when the HSE became self-funded. It was effectively designed to recover the cost of an investigation should a material breach have been found during an inspection, no matter how big or small. HSE guidance defines a material breach as “when, in the opinion of the HSE inspector, there is or has been a contravention of health and safety law that requires them to issue notice in writing of that opinion to the duty holder”.
The original hourly rate was £124, this was increased in 2016 to £129 – a relatively small increase. However, the most recent increase is quite a large one (20%) and therefore this further highlights the need to ensure that your organisation complies with the law and is operating safely. Fees can quickly amount to thousands which in many circumstances outweighs the costs of pro-active safety management in the first instance. It is important to ensure that you are both obtaining, and listening to, competent advice.
To find out more about how FFI works, please visit the HSE’s website. Club Insure Risk Management is set up to help you avoid receiving a FFI fine and therefore if you would like any guidance on Health & Safety matters, please contact us.
