A quote from Health and Safety at Work Online:-

"Unannounced workplace inspections could be reduced by a third from 2011–12 onwards, according to a leaked letter signed by the HSE’s chief executive Geoffrey Podger and obtained by the BBC’s File on 4 programme on Radio 4.
The BBC claims that in the four-page document Podger suggests cutting proactive inspections by a third, compared with previously planned levels, and making entire sectors immune from an unannounced “knock on the door”." End of quote.

What next,will Mr. Podger suggest to the Government that money could be raised to cut the deficit by selling off this work activity to private organisations?

Have a look at this link on the BBC web-site http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12621073

Don't be so paranoid Clive. All public sectors are having their finances cut and so the HSE has to be included in those cuts. Sign of the times.

Personally I don't know how much spot checks by HSE inspectors do work anymore. There are so few of them anyway I don't think employers try and get H&S right just in case the HSE come knocking on their door. I think there are other incentives. Furthermore, the premises are never followed up to see what changes have been implemented following the first visit, unless an Improvement Notice has been served. So how much has really been worthwhile?

So maybe we need to think ougtside the box, accept that resources need to be cut and find another way. Maybe in the days of factories spot checks worked but the workplace has changed so maybe the way the HSE operates needs to change too. Radically.

I agree with Clairel - do the same job, but in a different way. I do not have an answer as to how to do that - but if someone wants to engage me as a government adviser, I will certainly do a good job trying to find the answer.

My degree (1996) thesis was SME compliance motivation in Yorkshire and I did not find the HSE very high on the list.

DP - the true under-investment is in EHS in the workplace, I think.

Hello All
Unfortunately in my line of work, cynicism is an industrial disease!
I have to say this is rather more than the HSE making their fair contribution (don't start me on the causes of the financial crisis...), this is a Government making a point. Cutting the funding by a third is way higher than the cuts to other parts of the public sector – I haven't found any other cuts that come close to this level.
Who else will enforce? The local authorities are having their funding cut back and in my own area they only have one H&S officer, and their job is under threat. How about securing compliance through the Insurance sector? Under-insuring or simply failing to insure at all is on the increase, so thats hardly realistic either.
Is there a need to enforce? Having spent 30 years in law enforcement and seen far too many innocent lives wrecked by criminal acts or negligence I am forced to conclude that there is a very definite need for enforcement.
There are quite simply far too many people out there who put their own self interest first, and as a result the innocent pay the price. Oh look, I've arrived back at the cause of the financial crisis....

The HSE, under labour, had their funding cut to the extent that they "lost" 400 inspectors.
This government is just continuing the good work.
Since expenses, including fuel for cars, has also been reduced, what else are they supposed to do but sit around?
To be honest about it, the insurers inspectors are more use anyway.
They have been for years. AND the gov. Can do nothing about that, unless they remove the necessity for insurance.

its quite simple really, in my opinion, and this may be contentious, HSE & LA inspectors are overpaid for what they do, bearing in mind, absence payments, holiday entitlements etc and are not adequately skilled or competent in all the areas they are asked to enforce - having said that they have a massive task and the system has been found wanting for some time. My thoughts are that the Gov't is using the system financial regulators use - after all HMRC doesn't visit every business you use chartered accountants.

This should be a boom time for private sector H&S providers who provide reasonable and realistic H&S to their clients requirements

Oops just heard the loud bang!!!!!! and am waitning for the replies