§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General what is the Government's policy on enforcement action against employers who breach the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act and regulations made under them.
§ Mr. TrippierUnder section 18 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, enforcement policy is primarily the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities, subject to guidance issued from time to time by the Health and Safety Commission.
Inspectors appointed under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act will use the powers of enforcement available to them under the Act when in their judgment such action provides the best means of protecting the health and safety of people at work and/or the public.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General (1) for each of the years 1979 to 1985, inclusive, what proportion of premises registered with the Factory Inspectorate were or are subject to planned inspections by factory inspectors;
1 April Factory Inspectors in HSE as a whole Factory Inspectors in HM Factory Inspectorate Factory Inspectors in HMFI (Field only) 1978 695 642 619 1979 742 688 656 1980 759 702 664 1981 735 682 638 1982 678 620 594 1983 654 589 563 1984 627 564 539 1985 652 589 559 1986 623 560 540 All factory inspectors employed in the Health and Safety Executive's factory and agricultural inspectorate divisions work in Her Majesty's factory inspectorate. A number of factory inspectors work in other divisions of the executive, mainly on policy development.
528W(2) for each of the years 1979 to 1986, inclusive, how many premises were registered with the Factory Inspectorate in each of the following categories of inspection rating total: (a) 0–5, (b) 6–10, lc) 11–15, (d) 16–20, (e) 21–25, (f) 26–30, (g) 31–35, (h) 36–40, (i) 41–45, (j) 46–50 and (k) 51–55;
(3) for each Health and Safety Executive inspection rating total between 0 and 55, what is Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate's intended frequency of planned inspection; and what the actual frequency of planned inspection has been for each of the years 1979 to 1985, for each of the inspection ratings totals between 0 and 55;
(4) how many fatal accidents and major injuries occurred in premises in each of the following categories of Health and Safety Executives inspection rating total: (a) 0–5, (b) 6–10, (c) 11–15, (d) 16–20, (e) 21–25, (f) 26–30, (g) 31–35, (h) 36–40, (i) 41–45, (j) 46–50, (k) 51–55 and (l) for each of the years 1979 to 1985.
§ Mr. TrippierA comprehensive central record of the information requested is not kept and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General how the number of factory inspectors in the field differs from the number of factory inspectors employed in Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate.
§ Mr. TrippierOn I November 566 factory inspectors were employed in Her Majesty's factory inspectorate, 544 of whom work in the field.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General, for each of the years 1978 to 1986, how many factory inspectors are or were employed in each of the following categories: Her Majesty's factory inspectorate total, Health and Safety Executive factory inspectorate division and factory inspectors in the field.
§ Mr. TrippierThe information is as follows. The figures exclude specialist inspectors who formerly worked in Her Majesty's factory inspectorate but now form part of the Health and Safety Executive's technology and air pollution division.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General how many factory inspectors in the field are intended to be in post in December 1986, 1987 and 1988, at each of the following grades (a) principal inspector, (b) grade 1B inspector, (c) grade 1A inspector and (d) grade 2 inspector.
529W
§ Mr. TrippierOn 1 November there were 25 principal inspectors (national) (generally known as deputy superintending inspectors), 119 principal inspectors (class 1A), 294 inspectors class 1B, and 86 class II inspectors in the field organisation of Her Majesty's factory inspectorate. There were also 20 more factory inspectors in senior management positions.
It is not possible to give precise estimates of future staffing.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General how many visits were made by factory inspectors in 1985; and what percentage change this represents over 1980 to 1984.
§ Mr. TrippierA total of 190,546 visits were paid by factory inspectors in 1985; 11.8 per cent. fewer visits were paid in 1985 than in 1980.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General, for each of the employment sectors in the standard industrial classification, what specific initiatives have been taken in each of the last five years by the Health and Safety Executive to discuss with managements and unions the underlying causes of accidents and ill health and what can be done to reduce them.
§ Mr. TrippierInitiatives mounted by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years are described in the annual published reports of the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive. I have arranged for the hon. Member to receive copies of the latest published reports.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General if he will list the main additional areas of enforcement responsibility which Her Majesty's factory inspectorate took on in each of the years between 1979 to 1985.
§ Mr. TrippierThe main additional areas of enforcement responsibility taken by Her Majesty's factory inspectorate since 1979 are as follows:
1981
- The notification of Accidents and Dangerous occurrences regulations.
- The Health and Safety (dangerous pathogens) regulations.
- The control of lead at work regulations.
- The diving operations at work regulations.
1982
- The Dangerous Substances (Conveyance by Road in road tankers and tank containers) regulations.
- The notification of new substances regulations.
1983
- The Notification of Installations Handling hazardous substances regulations.
1984
- The asbestos licensing regulations.
- The classification packaging and labelling regulations.
1985
- The Gas Safety Regulations.
- The control of industrial major accident hazards regulations.
§ Mr. Michieasked the Paymaster General, for each of the years 1979 to 1985, what was the number of staff days per year spent by factory inspectors, on each of the following areas (a) gas safety, (b) asbestos licensing and (c) work arising out of and in preparation for the coming into force of the control of industrial major accident hazard regulations.
530W
§ Mr. TrippierThe figures are not available for years before 1985. The number of staff days spent by factory inspectors in the HSE areas in the period April 1985 to March 1986 on work in the areas specified were recorded as follows:
Days Gas Safety 558 Asbestos Licensing 3,202 Major hazards 2,584