Fines against firms found guilty of breaking health and safety laws are too low, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Timothy Walker, HSE director general, said levels of fines were “disappointing”. He stated: “It is incomprehensible that fines for especially serious big company breaches in health and safety are only a small percentage of those fines handed down for breaches of financial services in similarly large firms.”

The HSE says average fines across the UK for health and safety cases fell by 21% in the financial year 2002/03, from £11 141 in the previous year to just £8828. The largest fine was £240 000 in a case of scaffolding collapse in a busy city centre.

A total of 933 companies and individuals were convicted of health and safety offences over the year and the HSE prosecuted 22 managers and directors, of which half were convicted.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor