Safety breach firms under spotlight

Fatal accidents in construction industry were up last year

Hundreds of firms convicted of health and safety offences have been "named and shamed" under a new drive to boost safety at work.

The initiative by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) coincides with its attack on the "low level" of fines being imposed by courts.

Large and small companies, local authorities, hospitals and universities were among those convicted of 1,600 health and safety offences in the past year.

Their details are being included on a special website which can be accessed by would-be customers and workers.

HSE director General Timothy Walker said people should have the right to be aware of an organisation's health and safety record.

I want this to create pressure to improve on those who have failed in their responsibilities

HSE's Timothy Walker

"I want this to create pressure to improve on those who have failed in their responsibilities towards workers and the general public. I also hope it will deter others who will not want to be named in this way."

Mr Walker criticised the average fines of under £7,000 for health and safety offences

"Society has a right to expect that, when a business or individual is found guilty, the penalty handed down by the courts reflects the seriousness of the offence. This is simply not happening enough."

Tougher new penalties and more prison sentences were needed, said Mr Walker.

The cases highlighted in the HSE report range from firms fined hundreds of thousands of pounds to companies that received a conditional discharge or admonition.

The HSE also published new figures showing there was an 18% increase in fatalities in the construction industry in the past year, though the overall number of work-related deaths fell from 253 to 218.

Safety at Work

1,133 cases prosecuted last year

This was 9% up on 1998

Accidents cost economy £18bn a year

About 400 killed every year

25 million working days lost

Back injuries most common

The Transport and General Workers Union, which covers the construction industry, told BBC Online it fully supported the name-and-shame campaign.

It said: "The construction industry takes pride in the awards it wins. It should take its failings just as seriously."

The union condemned the industry's "lack of safety culture" and said the fines imposed by magistrates following a fatality - which could be as low as £300 - were often derisory.

The HSE's proposals to reinvigorate its enforcement powers were criticised as "highly inadequate" by an independent think tank.

The Centre for Corporate Accountability told BBC Online: "The proposed policy will continue to give far too much discretion to HSE inspectors to use informal powers to 'persuade' companies to comply with the law, rather than force companies to make changes through legal notices."

"The rail crash at Hatfield indicates how important it is for the HSE to use its formal legal powers to force companies to make improvements rather than simply writing memos to companies or having a quiet word in the ear of a company director, which has little or no impact."

It added that HSE's proposed policy would allow decisions about what action should be taken by its inspectors - including whether or not to prosecute - to be unduly influenced by the level of its resources.