Skip to main content
IOSH Magazine: Safety, Health and Wellbeing in the world of work - return to the homepage IOSH Magaazine logo
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit @ioshmagazine on Twitter
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on LinkedIn
Readjusting the Lens: How to protect the psychosocial wellbeing of staff
Feel the Noise: The silent cost of hearing loss
Download the Jan/Feb 2021 Issue: Read the digital edition here

Main navigation

  • Home
    • Browse previous issues
  • Health
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Accident reduction
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Sickness absence
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Rehabilitation
      • Personal injury
      • Return to work
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Professional skills
      • Qualifications
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
  • Jobs
  • Covid-19
  • Interactive
    • Podcast
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • Products & Services
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Sickness absence
      • Accident reduction
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Leadership
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Qualifications
      • Professional skills
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
  • Transport and logistics
  • Third sector
  • Retail
  • Mining and quarrying
  • Rail
  • Rehabilitation
    • Personal injury
    • Return to work
  • Utilities
  • Manufacturing and engineering
  • Construction
  • Sector: IOSH Branch
    • Sector: Northern Ireland
    • Sector: Midland
    • Sector: Merseyside
    • Sector: Manchester and North West Districts
    • Sector: Ireland East
    • Sector: Ireland
    • Sector: Edinburgh
    • Sector: Desmond-South Munster
    • Sector: Qatar
    • Sector: Oman
    • Sector: Singapore
    • Sector: South Coast
    • Sector: South Wales
    • Sector: Thames Valley
    • Sector: Tyne and Wear
    • Sector: UAE
    • Sector: West of Scotland
    • Sector: Yorkshire
  • Healthcare
  • Sector: Fire
  • Sector: Financial/general services
  • Sector: Energy
  • Sector: Education
  • Sector: Communications and media
  • Sector: Chemicals
  • Sector: Central government
  • Catering and leisure
  • Agriculture and forestry
  • Sector: Local government
  • Sector: IOSH Group
    • Sector: Financial Services
    • Sector: Sports Grounds and Events
    • Rural industries
    • Sector: railway
    • Public Services
    • Sector: Offshore
    • Sector: Hazardous Industries
    • Sector: Food and Drink
    • Sector: Fire Risk Management
    • Education
    • Construction
    • Sector: Aviation and Aerospace
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Categories
  • Topics
  • Management
  • Strategy
  • Performance/results
Regulation/enforcement
Reporting
Catering and leisure
Sector: Central government
Sector: Chemicals
Sector: Communications and media
Construction
Sector: Education
Sector: Energy
Sector: Financial/general services
Healthcare
Manufacturing and engineering
Mining and quarrying
Retail
Third sector
Transport and logistics
News

UK safety fines rose 80% in first year of new sentencing guidelines

Open-access content 7th November 2017

hse_6

In 2016-17 -- the first full year that the new sentencing guidelines for safety and health offences were in place -- fines reached £69.9m compared with £38.8m for the same period a year earlier.

This is the second consecutive year in which financial penalties have soared. There was a 115.5% rise between 2014-15 (when £18m worth of fines were collected) and 2015-16.

Though total penalties increased, the number of prosecutions brought by the HSE and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in Scotland fell following an upward trend for several years. (In Scotland, the HSE and local authorities send a report to the COPFS which makes the final decision whether to institute legal proceedings and which offences are taken.)

There were 554 cases that resulted in a conviction for at least one offence in 2016-17. This was the lowest number recorded over the past five years; there were 672 such cases in 2015-16 and 619 in 2014-15.

Of these cases, 206 were in construction -- the highest number for any industry in 2016-17 -- leading to penalties totalling £15.9m. This figure marks an increase of more than 100% on the 2015-16 figure of £7.9m when 246 cases were convicted.

In the manufacturing industry, fines doubled between 2015-16 and 2016-17, from £12.5m to £25.1m. The number of convicted cases however fell 32% from 210 to 159 during this time.

Agriculture was the only industry where total fines were lower in 2016-17 compared with 2014-15. They fell 13% from £823,900 to £712,700.

2016-17 is the first full year that the Sentencing Council's Definitive Guidelines for Health and Safety Offences, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene Offences have been in effect in England and Wales.

Under the new guidelines, the level of fine corresponds to the offending organisation's turnover. If convicted of a safety and health offence, large organisations that turn over more than £50m and fall into the "very high" culpability category could be fined up to £10m.

The guidelines were introduced on 1 February 2016 and therefore applied to the last two months of the 2015-16 period. During this time 14 fines of £500,000 or more were issued.

In 2016-17, 38 cases received fines over £500,000; the single largest was £5m (for Merlin Entertainments). The 20 largest fines accounted for £30.7m of the £69.9m total. In 2014-15 period -- the last full year before the guidelines -- when five cases were at or above £500,000 and the single largest fine was £750,000.

The HSE and local authorities issued 11,913 enforcement notices in 2016-17, a 5% increase compared with the previous period when 11,380 were served. Notices issued by the HSE were up 8% from 8,776 to 9,495, while local authorities issued 2,418, down 7% compared with the 2,604 served in 2015-16. Notices issued by local authorities fell annually between 2012-13 and 2016-17. The figures for notices issued by the HSE have fluctuated over the past five years.

Topics:
Performance/results
Regulation/enforcement
Reporting
Catering and leisure
Sector: Central government
Sector: Chemicals
Sector: Communications and media
Construction
Sector: Education
Sector: Energy
Sector: Financial/general services
Healthcare
Manufacturing and engineering
Mining and quarrying
Retail
Third sector
Transport and logistics
News
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Health and Safety Manager

Manchester
Up to £45000.00 per annum + Plus travel and benefits
Reference
5447867

Health and Safety Advisor

Lambeth
£42000 - £48000 per annum + Car allowance + Excellent benefits
Reference
5447864

Health & Safety Lead

Bracknell
£45k - 48k per year
Reference
5447863
See all jobs »

Sign up for regular e-alerts

Receive the latest news and features, free to your inbox

Sign up

Subscribe to IOSH magazine

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
IOSH Covers
​
FOLLOW US
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
CONTACT US
Contact us
Tel +44 (0)20 7880 6200
​

IOSH

About IOSH
Become a member
IOSH Events
MyIOSH

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to IOSH magazine
Write for IOSH magazine

IOSH Magazine

Health
Safety
Management
Skills
IOSH Jobs

Copyright © 2021 IOSH. IOSH is not responsible for the content of external sites.