Thank you for your request for information regarding FFI invoices and appeals

Your request was received on 18 April 2013 and we have dealt with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act).

We can confirm that the Health and Safety Executive holds the information you requested. This information can be disclosed, please see below for our response:

1) We have issued 3225 invoices
2) The total value of these 3225 invoices is £1,584 899.15
3) As of 17 April 2013 there have been 80 queries and two level 1 disputes
4) Of the 80 queries received 65 queries have been resolved and in 20 of these cases HSE agreed with the basis of the dutyholder concerns
and altered or cancelled the invoice.
5) Of the 65 queries resolved - in 45 Cases HSE considered the invoice was appropriate and made no amendment. Additionally, in the case
of the level 1 dispute that has been resolved HSE considered that the invoice was appropriate and made no amendment.
6) As of 17 April 2013, the highest FFI invoice was for £18,779.80 and the lowest was for £12.40
7) As of 17 April 2013, the average amount for an FFI invoice was £491.44
8) As of 17 April 2013, the average inspector time per invoice was 3hrs 54 mins.

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Interesting, and though perhaps not the most well-structured questions these data do create some useful pointers.

Few cancelled charges does not equate to quality since it is reasonable to suspect that, at least at present, few organisations will be minded to raise a challenge preferring instead to pay up and grumble about it later.

A £12.40 charge - that would equate to 6 minutes work! I would suggest that from now on it would be wise not even to say good morning or good afternoon in case it causes some costly delay.

Probably the best information would be from a comparison of the number and value of cancelled charges in the 2nd (to allow things to settle down) and 4th or 5th 6-month period or maybe just the first full year compared with the second full year. And within those data, what was the range and distribution of charges cancelled?

So, the real information comes from change - or to be reasonable, a refinement - of approaches to charging over some reasonable time.

And which charges are cancelled. Are these mostly the low value, I'm going to make a nuisance of myself type charges, or the big charges and thus big mistakes on behalf of one or more inspectors?

Let's hope that the data show a fall in the number of cancelled charges, and less grumbling, to suggest that this is being done properly. Somehow, I doubt that will be the case, but any judgement on incomplete of inadequate and early data risks jumping to some probably unfounded conclusions.

Ray the rate is £124/hr; billable in 6 minute periods.
Oh and by the way if you get a specialist (eg someone from HSL) in along with the normal inspector you also get charged for them too and their rates are even higher!!
I had a meeting today where there was a senior HSE officer there. He said that he has heard of some organisations using the HSE as 'consultants' at £124/hr he reckoned that it worked out cheaper than employing a consultant and you got a letter direct from the regulator telling you what you needed to do!!!!!!!
He said that in principle nothing had changed except that 'failures' that involved a letter or more was going to be charged for, and likened it to the polluter pays scheme that the EA have had for a while.
On a personal note we have had two unannounced visits within the organisation since Nov last year where we have come out unscathed - or FFI (Fifi - as he called it) free.
I however am still sceptical out the real motives and what the Govt want from this - according to the guy today it is being thrust upon the HSE and they don't see it as assisting them in what they are there to do -- protect people from harm; how can they do that when they are clock watching.
I have my doubts that it is not a revenue generating stream, but experience so far is that it is not.
Time will tell.
Stuart

One of the COMAH sites I worked on stopped giving inspectors free lunches and refreshments.
One concern was if the lunch was too good they'd come back, another was the time spent eating the lunch could be used more productively - we are after all paying!

I was very young in my career and was amazed, but I'd do it now :)

Mat - I thought they were good questions, thanks for sharing this information with us, and its excellent that people ARE asking questions of the HSE.

According to the guy that spoke earlier in the week he categorically denied that they have been set targets - but me being somewhat cynical - he would say that wouldn't he!!
I heard the figure of £30m to be raised as the initial target set by the Govt; but again he said that there was no way they would reach that with current staffing; however if the hse get some of the revenue back does it not become self financing?
Not worrying over the weekend!
Have a good one.
Stuart