UK Companies Must Pay Inspectors' Fees
Businesses in the United Kingdom are now required to pay inspectors' fees when under investigation for safety violations.
In a move to further deter health and safety violations in the United Kingdom and tighten budgets, businesses will now be responsible for costs relating to safety violations.
Companies are now required to compensate inspectors for their time. Those inspecting alleged violations will be paid ₤124 an hour.
The Health and Safety Executive enacted the program in an attempt to lower its budget for the year.
To be considered responsible for these fees, the safety violation must be determined serious enough to warrant evaluation. According to the UK's Financial Times, the most susceptible companies will be construction companies, which account for 92 percent of Britain's safety violations.
This decision comes as a result of government mandates to cut the cost of the Health and Safety Executive's spending by 35 percent before 2014. However, this formula to regain funds is not set in stone. The safety agency will reevaluate the system once it has been in place for a year and determine its effect on the budget.