Average construction fine drops
16:19 05 Nov 2003
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The average fine handed out by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to construction firms in the year to 31 March 2003 has fallen to £5,698. In the year to 31 March 2002 the average fine was £7,450.
The average construction fine is less than the all-industry average of £6,040, which has also dropped year-on-year from £8,234 in 2001/02.
The number of construction convinctions dipped slightly from 442 in 201/02 to 433 in 2002/03.
A total of 779 improvement notices were issued in 2002/03, a worrying 32% increase from the previous year's total of 588. The number of prohibition notices increased by 25% from 2,219 to 2,788.
Health & Safety Commission chair Bill Callaghan said: "The marked increase in improvement and prohibition notices shows the HSE is pursuing [its] targets. However society is poorly served by inadequate fines that fail to mark the seriousness of health and safety convictions. Above all it is unfair to the businesses that are managing risks and safeguarding the health and safety of their workforce."