§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how is the frequency of visits to installations by Health and Safety Executive inspectors, other than the annual visit, determined.
§ Mr. NichollsEach of the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorates determines its own priorities for planned visits. The frequency of visits depends on a number of factors. The factory and agricultural inspectorates' programme of preventive visits to fixed premises are planned on the basis of an inspection rating system and this is reviewed at each visit to the premises. In addition, each inspection rating is reviewed at the start of every inspection year, when a rating is amended upwards to take into account the period since the last preventive inspection.
HSE's explosives inspectorate operates an inspection rating system similar in principle to that used by the factory and agricultural inspectorates.
Major nuclear sites are generally visited at least ten times a year on the basis that regular visits are needed to maintain a close monitoring of the site and to complete given regulatory requirements.
Visits made by HSE's mines and quarries inspectors are made in accordance with work plans drawn up by inspectors in charge of local districts weighted in line with local circumstances and knowledge.
In addition, all inspectorates make reactive visits required, for example, to investigate accidents and dangerous occurrences.