HSE to probe more accidents

by John d'Arcy



The Health and Safety Executive is promising to double its rate of industrial accident investigations over the next three years.

The pledge has come in a joint response from the executive, the Health and Safety Commission, and the Government to a critical report earlier this year by an all-party select committee of MPs. That report argued that the HSE did not investigate enough accidents and did not bring enough prosecutions.

The response accepted the MPs' conclusion. It commented: "The HSE acknowledges that, on occasion, serious cases have not been investigated in the past - a situation that the HSE regrets and is currently taking action to rectify."

HSE is said to be reviewing its investigation activity and the process and criteria for selecting accidents for investigation. Performance criteria for investigations are being field-tested.

Although figures are not yet available for 1999-2000, the Executive expects to investigate 6% of all reportable accidents that occurred during the year. The proportion is planned to rise to over 10% in 2002-3.

The proportion of major accidents investigated is set to rise from 9% to 20%.

HSE has noted that new guidelines for safety inspectors may lead to an increase in prosecutions.

But "prosecution decisions depend on evidence to support conviction".

The executive also said it was reviewing the accident reporting regulations. It pointed out that the Government has announced its intention to legislate, when Parliamentary time permits, to allow an increase in the maximum fine of £20,000 for breach of general safety duties and to make prison available in all courts for most offences.

It supports, in principle, the case for pilot schemes for roving worker safety representatives.

But HSE added: "Giving roving safety representatives a statutory right of access to private premises would be both difficult and controversial and there may be legal implications arising from the consequences of advice given. Pilot schemes so far have had mixed successÉ"

Concern over an apparent renewed rising trend in fatal site accidents was expressed this week by George Brumwell, general secretary of UCATT and a member of the Health and Safety Commission.

The union leader said: "I do not have any official statistics. But my understanding is that there has been a sharp upward trend in construction fatalities.

"Safety experts have pointed out that recent months have seen a series of major incidents at Avonmouth Bridge, Hull, and Canary Wharf. That is certainly alarming. But it may produce a statistical 'blip'. Discerning a trend depends on a full set of statistics."