HSE – Fee for Intervention (FFI) update

The Head of Field Operations for the HSE (Mr David Ashton) addressed the IOSH Conference in February 2013 and presented an update on Fee for Intervention (or FFI). It seems that somewhere between a quarter and a third of inspections carried out by the HSE since the cost recovery scheme came into force on 01 October 2012 have found a material breach. This equates to about 1400 invoices having been raised by the HSE for FFI.  When a material breach is identified, then the HSE can recover cost from the duty-holder (the company).

For further information about FFI and how the scheme works, read these previous blog articles:

HSEs cost recovery starts today

HSE looks set to implement cost recovery, how will this affect you?

Podcast on Cost Recovery scheme

The HSEs FFI hourly rate for 2012/13 is £124 and, where an inspector finds a breach, the charge will begin from when the inspector first arrived at a premises.  Invoices for FFI are sent after two months, and the duty-holder has 30 days to pay. Although there is a formal disputes and queries mechanism, Mr Ashton commented that of the 1400 invoices sent so far, the number of appeals has been in single figures.