hse business plan 2021/22

HSE Business Plan 2021/22The challenge
Ensuring workplaces are COVID-secure
13,000 Occupational disease deaths each year linked to past exposures at work
1.6 million Workers suffering from work-related illness
111 People killed at work
65,427 Employee non-fatal injuries reported
38.8 million Working days lost
£16.2 billion Cost to Britain
How we are tackling it
169,488 COVID-19 compliance spot checks*
9.5 million+ COVID guidance: webpage views with a 78% user satisfaction rating*
6263 Investigations
90% Dutyholders who took action following inspection
854 Major hazard sites contacted or visited
259 Biocide applications evaluated
986 Pesticide applications evaluated
*Year to date (YTD) figures 2020/21
4 | HSE Business Plan 2021/22
Introduction
We are facing the biggest global health challenge of our generation and HSE
is playing its part in reducing the risks of COVID-19 in the workplace. Our purpose to prevent work-related death, injury and ill health is even more valid than ever.
Over time, our role has broadened beyond worker protection to encompass public safety assurance on a wide range of issues. These include:
enabling business to better manage risk for themselves;
protecting the environment;
our work on cyber security.
Our work in supporting the government on COVID-19 is a continuation of our trusted role as a proportionate and enabling regulator.
The year ahead will be significant in supporting government-wide activities, including developing new processes as we work towards a full operating capability for UK chemicals, product safety and civil explosives. This follows our successful achievement of establishing a standalone GB chemicals regulator on 1 January 2021. We will also be enhancing our IT and digital infrastructure to support major programmes of activity.
This will also be a defining year for HSE as we develop and set out our new 10-year strategy and revised mission and vision. It will look at how we respond to future regulatory challenges and ensure our resources and processes are organised to deliver our ambition. We continue to influence and engage stakeholders, create knowledge and awareness of workplace health and safety risk, and encourage behaviour change.
As outlined in the infographic on the previous page, we apply a range of proactive regulatory tools to improve health and safety, bringing together different interventions to achieve impact. We are proud of the support we provide to businesses and will continue to expand this through our user- centric web guidance and advice, using all available
channels and technologies to improve our reach, engage in a digital space and influence behaviours. Our guidance, communication and engagement give employers the confidence to manage risk correctly, help to boost productivity, support the economy, and contribute to a fairer society.
We will continue to apply a range of proactive regulatory approaches to improve health and safety, combining interventions to achieve a bigger impact. Our end-to-end approach combines strategic planning with evidenced objectives and business insight, using blended interventions (communication, inspection and partnership activity) that focus on enhancing end-user behaviours.
In doing so, we test, learn from and adapt our interventions to optimise our impact. Examples of our proactive interventions include our work in reducing risk of exposure to carcinogens and asthmagens associated with welding fumes. Our successful stress ‘talking toolkit’ has helped employers support their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and will be further enhanced this year for the construction industry and the emergency services.
We lead the way but we do not act alone. Working in partnership is one of our strengths and is at the heart of how we protect workers and the public. We concentrate on the most serious risks and target industries with the greatest hazards, and sectors with the worst risk management record.
We significantly increase our reach, influence and impact by working with industry, trade associations, professional bodies, trade unions and others who can promote health and safety standards. One of our many successful forums is the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC). This works to bring about improvements in health and safety standards in the construction industry through promoting good practice and providing sector-specific information and guidance.
We are firm and fair when using our legal powers. Inspection helps us check that serious risks are managed sensibly, and we can measure our impact through our surveys. These indicate that 90% of businesses take action following a visit from HSE. When things go wrong, investigation helps us get to the truth and learn lessons. We will continue to hold
HSE Business Plan 2021/22 | 5
employers to account for their failures and secure justice for victims and their families while making workplaces safer.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have played a critical role in the national response, helping to reduce the level of transmission as well as support the country’s economic recovery as restrictions are eased. In 2021/22 we plan to continue our intelligence-led COVID compliance spot checks. We have already achieved over 10.5 million webpage views of our user-centred, COVID-specific guidance, which has an impressive 78% usefulness rating. We have developed a supporting communications campaign, HSE ‘Work Right’, which will build on the extensive reach we have achieved to date and focus on building public confidence.
Our science, engineering and analytical capability complements our policy and operational activities. It is internationally recognised in developing and supporting practical solutions to workplace health and safety problems. This is demonstrated through our leadership of the National Core Programme on COVID transmission research in 2021/22. Our commercial work is fully aligned to our purpose and is a further proactive intervention which positively impacts workplace health and safety outcomes.
In January 2020, the government asked us to establish a new Building Safety Regulator (BSR) after the Grenfell Tower disaster and following recommendations in the Building a Safer Future report by Dame Judith Hackitt.
We have worked closely with government to establish BSR. This involved:
putting programme governance in place;
an increase in capability, including appointing a Chief Inspector of Buildings; and
securing funding through the spending review 2020 process.
As part of Build Back Fairer, we will continue to develop an effective BSR during 2021/22 – working with other regulators, stakeholders and resident groups to implement a new regulatory system for the safety and standards of buildings in England.
Our work builds on the sound regulatory framework HSE has helped develop and our relentless focus
on reducing harm. We will continue to tackle long-standing problems, such as work-related ill health and falls from height, while helping smaller businesses manage risks proportionately and sensibly, with improved guidance and support.
The world of work is evolving and, as part of Build Back Greener, we will support the delivery of the government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution and a safe transition to a carbon- neutral economy. We will also be working with the government and other stakeholders on new and emerging technologies in the workplace to reduce risk from activities such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence and the use of drones.
The response to COVID-19 has accelerated the pace of collaboration across the public sector and we will continue to work with other regulators and stakeholders where our interests align. This plan contains some of the positive feedback received for our collaborative work on COVID compliance spot checks.
We recognise the uncertainty in setting out our plan at this time, but remain confident that we can respond with agility if we need to redirect resources as we have during the pandemic. However, that may impact some of the targets and deliverables.
The world and our approach may change, but one thing remains the same – the commitment of those who work for HSE to reduce risk, protect people and the environment and to save lives. We are extremely proud of the way our colleagues are responding to the unprecedented challenge of the pandemic and are privileged to lead them as we deliver on the commitments outlined in this plan.
Sarah Newton Sarah Albon Chair Chief Executive
Contents
7 Our plan on a page
12 Lead and engage with others to improve workplace health and safety
16 Provide an effective regulatory framework
21 Secure effective management and control of risk
29 Reduce the likelihood of low-frequency, high-impact catastrophic incidents
32 Enable improvement through efficient and effective delivery
37 Financial outlook for 2021/22
38 Monitoring our delivery
Our plan on a page
Our mission: The prevention of death, injury and ill health to those at work
and those affected by work activities
Our objectives
Lead and engage with others to improve workplace health and safety
Provide an effective regulatory framework
Secure effective management and control of risk
Reduce the likelihood of low-frequency, high-impact catastrophic incidents
Our priorities for 2021/22
Continue to focus our activity on tackling ill health as part of the Health and Work programme
Engage and collaborate on the learning from our expert science and research with those who can influence workplace health and safety performance
Embed learning on business to business burdens into policy design
Establish the Building Safety Regulator in shadow form ahead of legislation
As part of the transition period, establish the full operating capability of a new UK chemical regime
Prepare and contribute to the Energy Transition (Net Zero) government priority and development of the renewables sector
Carry out spot checks and inspections to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure for workers and the public
Target our inspections on specific issues and activities, including a sustained focus on work-related ill health
Investigate to swiftly tackle and reduce risks, securing accountability for victims and their families
Operate effective statutory schemes, ensuring the safe use of potentially harmful substances
Provide assurance that dutyholders are identifying and managing the major hazard risks they create
Strengthen major hazard leadership and worker engagement
Deliver robust and consistent regulation of decommissioning and dismantlement of offshore oil and gas infrastructure
Raise operators’ focus on cyber security to ensure appropriate protection against major incidents
Enable improvement through efficient and effective delivery
Our enablers
Invest in our infrastructure focusing on IT to ensure we are fit for the future
Support our people to be the best they can by improving inclusion and wellbeing
Secure a sustainable financial future for HSE by improving performance through data
Summary of milestone delivery
Our areas of focus and milestone deliverables in the plan can be summarised as follows:
Establish a ‘round table’ of health and work influencers
Deliver a health and work summit to promote actions to address work-related ill health
Develop partnership agreement with Public Health Scotland
Launch new musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) digital risk assessment toolbox for employers
Promote advice on MSDs through Risk Reduction Through Design Award
Deliver targeted communications on local exhaust ventilation
Adapt our generic stress ‘talking toolkit’ for the construction industry and the emergency services
Launch work-related stress app for SMEs
Engage and collaborate on the learning from our expert science and research with those who can influence health and safety improvement
Launch our live online training and conferences offering
Make 50% of our current training portfolio available in a virtual environment
Deliver a virtual conference in one of the four government priority areas
Deliver an agreed programme of work under the ‘PROTECT’ National COVID-19 study
Establish the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) in shadow form ahead of legislation
Establish an Interim Residents’ Panel to shape the approach to resident engagement
Establish Interim Competence Committee
Implement gateway reforms for higher-risk buildings (HRBs) operating as a statutory consultee
Complete transition discovery working with residents, dutyholders and co-regulators
Publish proposals for oversight of Building Control Bodies
Deliver targeted stakeholder engagement strategy
Develop draft operational and enforcement policies, procedures and guidance
Following the UK transition period, work towards establishing the full operating capability for chemicals, product safety and explosives
Deliver year 1 transformation programme for the UK biocides and pesticides regimes
Develop product safety intelligence to deliver expanded regulatory role
Deliver an Explosives Approved Body by building capacity and capability
Support the delivery of the government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution and safe transition to a carbon-neutral economy
Agree future partnership with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
Agree policy on future net zero
Assess safety of trials for new hydrogen technologies
Assure the Hydrogen Grid Research and Development Programme
Ensure the health and safety regulatory framework remains proportionate, targeted and delivers optimal regulatory outcomes
Develop shared solutions to tackle business burdens from non-regulatory health and safety rules
Amend Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations
Undertake post-implementation review of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Regulations
Revise Gas Safety Regulations
Undertake spot checks and inspections, supporting local authorities, to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure
Procure and mobilise external partners to deliver approximately 100,000 compliance spot checks
Undertake full review of resourcing approach and consider alternative delivery models
Undertake review of current service to identify improvements
Through design, identify digital options to improve case and performance management
Target our interventions on specific issues including work-related ill health
Undertake a planned programme of proactive intervention, which includes specific emphasis on:
− control of welding fumes and metalworking fluids;
− agreeing a framework with Advanced Manufacturing Forum (AMF) to reduce risk and ensure safety;
− healthcare, focusing on violence and aggression and manual handling;
− agriculture; − one major respiratory health-focused
construction initiative; − fixed and travelling fairgrounds.
Investigate to swiftly tackle and reduce risks, securing accountability for victims and families
Complete 80% of fatal investigations with 12 months of primacy
Complete 90% of non-fatal investigations within 12 months
Complete 80% of plant protection product evaluations and authorisations to time
Complete 80% of biocide product evaluations and authorisations to time
Programme of inspections to ensure compliance with Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations
90% of asbestos licence applications completed to time
Publish post-implementation review of Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations
Reduce the likelihood of low-frequency, high- impact catastrophic incidents
Provide assurances that dutyholders are identifying and managing the major hazard risks they create
A programme of inspections to address priority areas at major hazard sites
Assess 75% of safety cases and reports to agreed timescales
Assess licences, classifications, notifications and authorisations to timescales
Strengthen major hazard leadership and worker engagement
Complete a targeted programme of interventions focused on process safety leadership principles
Complete a programme of inspections at targeted major hazard sites to assess risks that may impact industrial control systems
Complete a programme of inspections at sites of essential services as defined by Network Information Systems (NIS) Regulations
Develop a 10-year strategy and supporting target operating model
Develop and agree mission/vision/values and strategic objectives
Develop and agree supporting target operating model and sub-strategies
Determine future, flexible, hybrid working arrangements
Invest in our infrastructure, focusing on IT, to ensure we are fit for the future
Establish a test and development environment for biocides and pesticides regimes, and BSR
Insource external IT provider
Complete user needs analysis to inform Buxton IT infrastructure
Complete required office moves
Replace wide area network
Embed arrangements for promoting wellbeing and prevention of mental ill health
Reduce average working days lost (AWDL) to 5.5 days per full-time equivalent (6 days in 2020/21)
Deliver a programme of leadership events
Hold all-staff events
Reduce instances of bullying and harassment by 10%
Secure a sustainable financial future for HSE by improving performance through data and assurance
Develop our Spending Review 2021 case
Consult on cost recovery proposals and put enabling legislation in place
Develop shadow performance measures to focus regulatory utilisation
Recruit new assurance roles to build capacity and capability
Establish a programme to replace the HR, Finance and Procurement shared services and operating platform
The Helping Great Britain (GB) work well strategy1 recognises a need for broad
ownership of workplace health and safety. Anyone who carries out or influences workplace activities or behaviours has a key role. We are committed to playing our part in enabling others to create healthier, safer workplaces and, through our expertise, reduce the cost of workplace injury and ill health to the economy while helping improve productivity.
We have a key role in advising the GB and devolved governments’ wider health and work priorities. As the governments’ chief occupational health adviser, we have expertise in the causes of work-related ill health,2 and the measures which can prevent or minimise it. However, the health of the working population is not solely related to workplace conditions.
Our aim is to reduce work-related ill health through the application and enforcement of workplace health and safety legislation, and by supporting and seeking to influence wider health interventions where they are linked with work and employment. For example, we provide advice to the joint Work and Health Unit at the Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care.
We see opportunities in bringing our expertise to work with others across government departmental boundaries to address national issues, for example improving health outcomes as described in the NHS long-term plan (for England).
As well as tailoring direct interventions with individual businesses to achieve behavioural change, we provide:
focused engagement and collaboration across networks with a strong interest in improving work-related health and safety. This includes
1 www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/index.htm
2 www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/health-and- work-strategy/health-and-work-strategy.pdf
audience-focused research and insight to evidence, target and tailor interventions to our users’ needs and context;
specific, insight-led behaviour change campaigns to achieve tangible improvements in awareness and action on the key issues and themes set out in our health and safety strategies;
guidance and advice which is accessible, understandable, meets the needs of users, and encourages proportionate risk management; and
world-class science and evidence to support our regulatory activities. We will provide routes to enable others (such as government departments, public and private sector organisations) to access our know-how, specialist facilities and research to improve workplace health and safety performance.
We continue to work closely with local authorities as co-regulators. Our joint LA/HSE Statement of Commitment sets out the shared vision for the ongoing co-regulatory partnership. This describes how working together – as effective, modern and professional regulators – will secure the positive benefits of world-leading workplace health and safety.
Engage and collaborate on the learning from our expert science and research with those who can influence workplace health and safety improvement
Priority: Continue to focus our activity on tackling ill health as part of the Health and Work programme
Overall approach to ill health
2021/22 marks the fifth year of our Health and Work strategy and our continued focus on tackling three major causes of work-related ill health – musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), occupational lung disease (OLD) and work- related stress (WRS).
We will focus on our health and work priority areas and support the government’s current and post-COVID recovery, by providing targeted advice, guidance and tools to help employers support their employees’ health at work.
Our success will be measured through overall changes in attitudes, behaviour and use of control measures.
We will continue to build collaborative relationships with other parts of government, and public health and industry groups in England, Scotland and Wales. Joining up our approaches to health and work will help deliver improved outcomes for employers and workers.
Our deliverables
Our aim is to increase the reach of our messages on the tangible and simple steps employers can take to tackle work-related ill health. We will work across government, and with key stakeholders, influencers and experts, to contribute our expertise for the wider benefit of employers and workers through:
Establishing a ‘round table’ of health and work influencers’ to support partnership communications with SMEs and representative groups
Q4
Delivering a health and work summit to provide shared learning and promote tangible actions employers can take to address work-related ill health
Q4
Develop a partnership agreement with Public Health Scotland and a forum with health-related Scottish regulators
Q4
Musculoskeletal disorders
MSDs are the second most common reported cause of work-related ill health in Great Britain, accounting for 30% of all cases and 27% of all working days lost due to ill health.
Our work in 2021/22 continues to build on that from previous years and inform future years’ activity. Our insight work has identified further demand for digital risk assessments.
Our deliverables
Launch the new MSD digital risk assessment toolbox for employers
Q2
Deliver and promote advice on MSDs through the Risk Reduction Through Design Award
Q4
Occupational lung disease
Occupational respiratory disease is estimated to result in approximately 12,000 deaths each year.
Our work in 2021/22 focuses on reducing exposure to carcinogens and asthmagens, through using integrated intervention campaigns, with a particular emphasis on reducing lung disease risks in metal working.
Building on our success in influencing behaviours in metalworking fluids, we have identified the need for a greater industry understanding of effective local exhaust ventilation systems and how they protect health.
Our deliverables
Q4
Work-related stress
Stress, depression or anxiety is the most commonly reported cause of work-related ill health in Great Britain, accounting for 51% of all cases, and 55% of all working days lost due to ill health.
Our focus is on providing practical advice and appropriate tools to support the prevention and management of stress.
Our successful stress ‘talking toolkit’ has already been adapted to help employers support workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and will be further enhanced for emergency services, where work- related stress is a major issue.
Our deliverables
Adapt our stress ‘talking toolkit’, engaging with emergency services partners so they can input on design and delivery
Q3
Q1
Priority: Engage and collaborate on the learning from our expert science and research with those who can influence health and safety improvement
We will use the approach outlined in our Science and Evidence strategy,3 to deliver the work set out in our Science and Evidence Delivery (2020-2023).
We will focus on four main areas which align with government priorities:
Delivery of safe net zero
Ensuring Resilient Infrastructure
Healthy Working Lives
Creating intelligence from data
We will lead the ‘PROTECT’ project (Partnership for Research into Occupational, Transport and Environmental COVID Transmission), one of seven National Core Programmes on COVID-19. We will ensure that knowledge generated is shared with key stakeholders.
We will build on the significant progress in developing our relationship across government in order to support the key national priority areas listed above. This includes the successful delivery of a programme of work for BEIS to address the challenges of utilising hydrogen for heating purposes in Great Britain.
We have continued to develop our relationship with the Office for Products Safety and Standards (OPSS) and are supporting their produce safety remit in several key areas including market surveillance of cosmetic products, noise and performance testing of fireworks, 3D printing and battery safety.
3 www.hse.gov.uk/research/content/science-evidence- strategy-1620.pdf
We have also made progress in delivering our training content given the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic. We have adapted to the new environment and delivered our training through a more modular e-learning model and will make further training available. We have also worked with our partner The Stationery Office (TSO) to successfully launch a mobile application. This makes guidance and publications available in a mobile-friendly format, providing links to other bespoke products and services.
Our deliverables
We will launch our live online training and conferences offering, enabling us to deliver a variety of content to different audiences utilising technology to meet customer expectations
Q2
We will make 50% of our current face- to-face training portfolio available in a virtual environment
Q4
We will deliver at least one virtual conference in main areas of focus of either net zero or intelligence from data
Q4
Working with our partners we will lead the delivery of an agreed programme of work under the ‘PROTECT’ National COVID-19 partnership
Good regulation is essential to successful businesses, and HSE will be working to
achieve the right regulatory balance between supporting excellent business practice and protecting workers, the public and aspects of the environment. The goal setting and risk- based regulatory framework is founded on two enduring principles:
those who create risks have a responsibility to manage them; and
action should be proportionate to the risks that need managing.
To complement this, we will support businesses by sharing examples of good practice, helping to build a common understanding of what a proportionate management approach to workplace health and safety looks like.
During 2020/21 we have made extensive contributions to the government’s fundamental reform of the building safety system following the Grenfell Tower disaster. We have developed a programme to establish BSR in HSE and this has progressed well. Capability has increased during the year with programme governance and infrastructure in place. We will continue to engage with the devolved administrations on building safety.
On 31 January 2020, the UK left the EU and entered a transition period until 31 December 2020. During this transition period we delivered Day 1 readiness for regulating UK chemicals, product safety and explosives. Our focus for 2021/22, supported by a successful spending review bid, is to initiate a programme of work to deliver full operating capability. This will enable HSE to deliver an effective and efficient regulatory service for chemicals, product safety and explosives.
We have a significant role in helping the government deliver its net zero priority and 10-point plan. Our focus for 2021/22 is to:
work across government and review HSE’s regulatory framework as it applies to current and future net zero activity; and
identify the policy, regulatory, operational and evidential steps that will need to be met to support the innovation and development of new technology during the transition to net zero.
We look for opportunities to reform and modernise our regulatory framework to ensure the regulation is smarter, better targeted and less costly to business. This will include challenging business- to-business burdens to help ensure that workplace health and safety works as an enabler, not a barrier, to innovation, trade and growth.
Continue to establish BSR within HSE, initially in shadow form ahead of the required legislation
Following the end of the transition period, work towards establishing the full operating capability for UK chemicals, product safety and explosives
Support the delivery of the government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution and a safe transition to a carbon-neutral economy
Ensure the health and safety regulatory framework remains proportionate, targeted and delivers optimal regulatory outcomes
Priority: Continue to establish BSR in HSE, initially in shadow form ahead of the required legislation
Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the government committed to introduce radical reforms of the building safety system following Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulation and fire safety. At the heart of the reforms is the creation of a new Building Safety Regulator (BSR). On 20 January 2020, the Housing Secretary announced that BSR would be established within HSE.
BSR will have three key functions:
leading the implementation of the new, more stringent regulatory regime for higher-risk residential buildings in scope;
promoting competence among industry professionals and regulators who have key roles in delivering safe, high-performing buildings; and
oversight of the building safety and performance system.
During 2020/21, HSE has made substantial progress. We have:
supported the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to publish a draft Building Safety Bill in July 2020;
created a Building Safety and Construction Division in HSE to bring HSE’s construction operations together with the work to establish BSR;
appointed the first Chief Inspector of Buildings to establish and lead BSR;
established the BSR transition programme with robust governance and management arrangements, and with now over 100 people dedicated to the delivery of BSR;
taken on leadership of the Joint Regulators’ Group and worked with partner regulators, early adopter organisations, and design trial participants to produce an early guide for landlords and building owners on the principles of safety cases, enabling them to prepare for the new regulatory regime;
supported over 44 stakeholder events reaching over 8,000 stakeholders, leaders and professional bodies, reached just over 5 million individuals about HSE’s future BSR role through social media channels, and signed up nearly 6,000 organisations to our regular BSR updates; and
supported local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services to progress cladding remediation and the prioritisation of existing buildings through the Fire Protection Board.
The BSR transition is an ambitious multi-year programme of transformation aligned with the planned implementation from 2023 of MHCLG’s building safety legislative reforms. It comprises a number of programme and other deliverables overseen by the BSR Programme Board.
Our deliverables
Establish an Interim Residents’ Panel to advise and shape the approach to resident engagement
Q1
Establish an Interim Competence Committee to support a consistent approach to building safety competence standards
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q3
Deliver targeted stakeholder engagement strategy to prepare for new regime
Q4
Develop draft operational and enforcement policies, procedures and guidance to deliver Gateway building control functions
Q4
Priority: Following the end of the transition period, work towards establishing the full operating capability for chemicals, product safety and explosives
A new relationship was agreed with the EU on 24 December 2020. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) sits alongside the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol. The TCA provides for a zero tariff and zero quotas agreement and is implemented in our domestic law by the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020.
The TCA contains joint commitments to maintain high standards of protection and to prevent distortions in trade but this does not prevent independent regulatory action by the UK in the future.
The TCA also contains a chemicals annex. This focuses on regulatory cooperation between the UK and the EU. It does not constrain independent regulatory action by the UK.
During 2020/21 we have delivered an extensive programme of work which successfully delivered interim operating capability for 1 January 2021.
For 2021/22 we will initiate a programme of work to develop our full operating capability, enabling HSE to deliver effective and efficient regulatory services for chemicals, product safety and explosives. This will include support for Northern Ireland as part of the UK internal market.
We will also deliver the first-year operational plan for GB chemicals regimes as the national independent GB regulator and support Northern Ireland as part of the UK internal market.
Our deliverables
Deliver year 1 transformation programme for UK biocides and pesticides regimes
Q4
Q4
Deliver an Explosives Approved Body by building capacity and capability informed by customer insight and market design
Q3
Priority: Support the delivery of the government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution and a safe transition to a carbon-neutral economy
The 10-point plan4 for a green industrial revolution is a significant step in government efforts to deliver the UK’s public and legal commitment of achieving net zero greenhouse gas, including carbon dioxide emissions, by 2050 (2045 in Scotland).
We are already active in several net zero programmes, particularly in the energy sector. Offshore wind generation (and other renewable energy sources), driving the growth of low carbon hydrogen and investing in carbon capture, utilisation and storage, is already requiring significant policy, regulatory and operational activity from HSE and collaborative working with other government departments.
However, there will be both direct and indirect impacts on HSE from other parts of the 10-point plan. The development of greener building technologies, the decarbonisation of industry and the growth of innovative battery technologies will all change the profile of risks that require managing in future.
Achieving net zero goals will require incremental progress over the long term. Our focus for 2021/22 is to review HSE’s regulatory framework as it applies to current and future net zero activity – identifying the policy, regulatory, operational and evidential steps needed to support the innovation and development of new technology during the transition to net zero. This will build on the success of our science work in addressing the challenges of hydrogen for heating purposes in Great Britain.
4 www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-ten-point-plan- for-a-green-industrial-revolution/title#introduction
We will work with other government departments on their net zero programmes to ensure a joined-up approach to regulation, with the focus on safety where it is needed.
Our deliverables
Agree future partnership with BEIS Q2 Develop and agree our policy and
operational position on current and future net zero activity
Q2
Commence work with BEIS to assess the safety of trials for proposed new hydrogen technologies using our science, policy and regulatory expertise
Q4
Work with BEIS and industry to assure that the Hydrogen Grid Research and Development Programme (HyGrid) encompasses appropriate consideration of worker and public health and safety
Q4
Priority: Ensure the health and safety regulatory framework remains proportionate, targeted and delivers optimal regulatory outcomes
HSE continues to play its part in supporting the government’s Better Regulation agenda, ensuring we support innovation, introduction of new technology and enabling improvements in productivity. Our regulatory framework is maintained in line with the government’s Better Regulation principles (targeted, proportionate, consistent, transparent and accountable).
We look for opportunities to reform and modernise our regulatory framework to ensure it is proportionate, better targeted and less costly to business. This will include challenging business- to-business burdens to help ensure that workplace health and safety not only provides protection but is an enabler, not a barrier, to innovation, trade and growth.
Implement the IAEA’s recommendations for improving ionising radiation protection in Great Britain.
Our deliverables
Work with business bodies to develop shared solutions and messaging to tackle the burdens identified in HSE’s report into non-regulatory health and safety rules
Q4
Carry out amendments to the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations to implement the outcomes of the December 2020 judicial review ruling
Q3
Undertake a Post Implementation Review of The Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations
Q2
Q4
One of the foundations of our role as a regulator is to secure the effective
management and control of risk. We use different interventions to assess and secure effective management and control of hazards and remove risk from the workplace. These include inspections, investigations, permissioning and licensing regimes. Our activities are based on intelligence and targeting in line with published sector strategies.
During the last year, we have been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Industries and sectors that were previously considered low risk, from a worker protection or public health and safety perspective, are now potentially high risk.
In response, during 2020/21 we carried out a programme of around 160,000 interventions to check how businesses implemented measures to reduce transmission of COVID-19. We used a blended approach, including virtual inspections (using IT platforms), spot checks carried out by telephone call, and traditional on-site visits amplified through a ‘COVID-Secure’ campaign.
We have secured a further additional £14m for 2021/22 and will utilise this to undertake further compliance spot checks as well as improving the efficiency of the operation. Our activity will be kept under review and evolve as required to support the government’s ambitions in respect of COVID-19 recovery.
Our oversight of the chemicals industry enables the safe and sustainable use of thousands of chemicals including pesticides and biocides. Through our work we reduce the potential harm to people or the environment and to maximise the benefits to ensure essential products remain on the market and can be used safely.
We investigate incidents, causes of ill health and workplace health and safety concerns (complaints), in line with our published selection criteria. We draw upon our science and engineering specialists and facilities to provide forensic analysis. We also work with other regulators, the police and local
authorities, to determine causes, learn and share lessons and ensure necessary measures are in place to prevent recurrence.
Where businesses are not managing risks to people’s safety or health, we secure improvements in line with our enforcement policy and enforcement management model.
Through proportionate enforcement action, we seek to prevent harm, secure sustained improvement in managing health and safety risk, and hold people to account when they fail to meet their obligations to protect people. Where appropriate, we prosecute those who behave in a reckless way or where there has been a serious breach of duty.
Our approach supports fairness for those who invest appropriately in managing risk and work safely, deterring those businesses who fail to meet their obligations or deliberately break the law and place people at risk.
We use data and evidence to better target our regulatory work, and amplify the outcomes from our frontline inspection, investigation and enforcement activity with modern communication techniques.
Carry out spot checks and inspections, supporting local authorities, to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure
Target our interventions on specific issues and activities, including a sustained focus on work- related ill health
Investigate to swiftly tackle and reduce risks, securing accountability for victims and their families
Priority: Carry out spot checks and inspections, supporting local authorities, to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure
During 2020/21 we carried out a programme of interventions to check how businesses are implementing measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
We took a blended approach, including virtual inspections, spot checks carried out by telephone call, and traditional on-site visits.
Assurance in respect of the telephone call checks was validated by sample physical inspections to ensure regulatory outcomes were consistent.
Using reprioritised resources and the additional £14.2m funding, to aid the safe return to work and ensure employers are managing risks posed by COVID-19, we:
assembled a virtual Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Unit team to allow government and industry to make timely, evidence-based decisions about how PPE can be safely and rapidly deployed to help protect workers;
established an inbound enquiry service which offered COVID-19 advice and guidance for dutyholders;
worked with local authorities to ensure consistent standards of regulatory activity and undertake joint campaigns and COVID-secure spot check activity. This joint working has expanded our reach and our leadership and support has been appreciated, as reflected in the comments from businesses and stakeholders on the following page;
carried out communications activity through multiple channels, ensuring employers have the right guidance and employees feel safe and confident that their employer is managing risks posed by COVID in the workplace. We have also communicated guidance and support on working from home;
completed a GB-wide, targeted and proactive programme of spot checks to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure and responded to workplace and localised outbreaks using a blend of regulatory levers; and
investigated all COVID-19 concerns.
As part of the Spending Review 2020, we have secured further additional funding of £14m for 2021/22 which will be utilised to:
procure and mobilise external partners to deliver telephone and on-site compliance spot checks. An initial target of 100,000 checks has been set which will be reviewed as pandemic restrictions are eased;
undertake a full review of the whole resourcing approach and consider alternative models, including wider use of partners and fixed-term staff; and
review the current service to inform service design improvements and support digital solutions.
Our deliverables
Procure and mobilise external partners to deliver compliance spot checks
Q1
Undertake full review of resourcing approach and consider alternative delivery models
Q1
Q2
Through design, identify digital options to improve case and performance management
Q3
Feedback on COVID compliance spot checks
The HSE spot checks helped the council reach out to businesses to ensure they were COVID-secure, at a time that the service was really stretched. Local authority
Worthwhile collaborative process which allows LAs to focus resources on those businesses who need support. Local authority
The spot check programme is well designed with comprehensive support from HSE – it provided us with the confidence to know that our businesses were compliant leaving us to resource other areas of COVID security. Local authority
A great example of partnership working during the current pandemic. The HSE and LAs working together to increase business awareness and compliance, to reduce the risks to public health. Local authority
May I take this opportunity to thank you for all the information provided over the last five weeks, I believe the project has been well organised and of value to Sefton. Going forward we will be able to utilise the questions, script and model to complete further remote interactions with business followed up by onsite visits where there have been failures identified. Karen Beer – Sefton Council
Our Chief Exec is pleased with this project, really feels supported by HSE in dealing with the local challenges COVID is presenting, and respects HSE’s involvement. The Media & Comms pack was really good, businesses are feeding back they have seen the campaigns. Victoria Clarke – Melton Council
This project activity has become part of our ‘Rising Tide Plan’ a multi-agency approach to tackle COVID. Elaine Bird – Harborough
When you do have a conversation with someone and they’re making you reconsider certain aspects of what you’re doing, you’re more likely to open up. Small business, metal fabrication
Priority: Target our interventions on specific issues and activities, including a sustained focus on work-related ill health
For 2021/22 we have carried out a detailed analysis of existing case work and expected resource demands in responding to and investigating incidents, concerns and similar events.
We anticipate approximately 80% of our time will be spent on fatal investigations (including COVID-19 cases), non-fatal investigations, prosecution cases, concerns and training a large cohort of new inspectors. With the remaining 20% of our field resource, we anticipate carrying out around 14,000 inspections (maintaining the same number as 2020/21). This will cover the intervention programmes of the specific core initiatives set out below.
Our ambition is to increase the number of inspections in future years as more trainee inspectors qualify following further investment and recruitment into the regulatory training programme.
Our inspection campaigns for 2021/22 align with the specific issues outlined within our sector plans5 and health priorities. These will be supported by communications, insight and engagement with stakeholders. Where appropriate, we will revisit some previously inspected businesses in woodworking and fabricated metals to evaluate whether there is evidence of sustained and improved compliance. Data will be collected in a consistent way to enable appropriate evaluation.
We will continue to develop policies and standards relating to COVID-19 control as our understanding develops. We will check that the measures necessary to control the risk of transmission are effective in workplaces.
5 www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/index.htm
Inspections will focus on the control of carcinogens and asthmagens specifically associated with welding fumes, flame cutting, paint-handling processes and metalworking fluids.
Our deliverables
Programme of inspections with a specific focus on control of welding fumes and metalworking fluids
Advance manufacturing
We will work with key industry stakeholders, including Make UK and the Catapult Centres, to optimise the opportunities presented by new manufacturing technologies to reduce accident and injury risks in workplaces compared to traditional manufacturing processes.
Our deliverables
We will identify key contributors and build membership of the Advanced Manufacturing Forum (AMF) to reduce risk. We will agree a framework with AMF to address the challenges to ensure safe workplaces
Q4
Healthcare
The healthcare sector continues to suffer injuries and ill heath due to the manual handling of patients, and increased incidents of violence and aggression towards healthcare staff.
Inspections will target violence and aggression and manual handling risks. They will focus on the management arrangements for training, supervision, monitoring and review of the risks, together with providing and using manual handling equipment.
Our deliverables
Programme of inspections to NHS Trusts and Health Boards to focus on violence and aggression, and manual handling
Q4
Agriculture
The agriculture sector continues to have a high rate of workplace fatalities, injuries and ill health.
Inspections will include those businesses invited to attend our insight-led agricultural compliance events and will focus on the range of workplace risks covered in those events.
Our deliverables
As part of a wide strategic intervention programme, direct inspection of businesses invited to attend an agricultural compliance event. Focus will be on the full risk profile of the business aligned with compliance event content
Q4
Construction
Construction remains a hazardous industry, and while performance has improved, the level of incidents and ill health remain high.
We will continue to work closely with the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) and the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) to further improve standards and increase our influence and reach in the sector by providing advice and guidance. Our Construction Sector Plan outlines how we will focus on:
SMEs carrying out refurbishments;
embedding requirements of the Construction Design and Management Regulations (CDM) through targeted inspections of dutyholders, providing principal designer services;
prevention and control of occupational lung disease (especially asbestos and dust) and MSDs. COVID control measures will be included in all interventions; and
providing a national coordinator and virtual team for managing and delivering the strategy for decommissioning and dismantling offshore structure.
Our deliverables
One major respiratory risk health- focused initiative of inspections covering a representational range of site types and activities
Q3
Fairgrounds
Industry performance in relation to public safety is comparatively good, given the number of visitors to fairgrounds and theme parks, and number of rides taken annually. However, previous incidents highlight the risk of failure or incorrect operation of some rides which can result in fatalities and multiple serious injuries.
Public safety is our inspection priority alongside the control of risks to the public both from fixed and travelling fairgrounds, with emphasis on the standards of inspection and maintenance of rides and the control of risks associated with inflatables.
Our deliverables
As the sector reopens, we will focus our efforts on engagement and assurance processes within both the fixed and travelling fairgrounds industries, supported by targeted inspection activity
Q4
Priority: Investigate to swiftly tackle and reduce risks, securing accountability for victims and their families
Doing investigation work remains a priority, whether measured by its impact on health and safety or by the speed, ease and efficiency of our processes.
We will continue to investigate incidents and workplace health and safety concerns in line with our published selection criteria and we will seek timely completion of both fatal and non-fatal investigations.
When consistent with HSE’s enforcement policy, we will prosecute those who commit serious breaches of the law.
Our deliverables
Fatal investigations
Complete 80% of fatal investigations within 12 months of HSE receiving primacy
ongoing
Non-fatal investigations
Complete 90% of non-fatal investigations within 12 months of the incident
ongoing
Priority: Operate effective statutory schemes, ensuring the safe use of potentially harmful substances
Chemicals industry
Our oversight of the chemicals industry enables the safe and sustainable use of thousands of chemicals, including pesticides and biocides.
HSE has a statutory role to identify chemical risks and ensure those responsible reduce these risks to levels that are acceptable to society.
We will continue to evaluate and make regulatory decisions on the authorisation of biocide and plant protection products, the approval of active substances, and monitor maximum residue levels of pesticides in food, before they can be sold on the UK market.
As part of Official Control Regulations, we have established an enforcement function and will undertake a programme of targeted inspection and enforcement activities.
We will deliver the functions of the UK’s REACH Agency following its establishment on 1 January 2021.
Our deliverables
Complete 80% of plant protection product evaluations and authorisations within the relevant deadlines
ongoing
Complete 80% of biocide product evaluations and authorisations within the relevant deadlines
ongoing
Asbestos licensing
Work with asbestos requires a high degree of regulatory oversight. Asbestos can still be present in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.
Classed as a category 1 carcinogen, asbestos-related disease still kills around 5,000 people each year.
As part of this oversight, HSE operates a statutory asbestos licensing regime – granting and renewing licences to carry out higher-risk work with asbestos subject to sufficient demonstration and assessment that required standards can be met.
We evaluate all licence applications and carry out a proportionate inspection programme of notified licensed asbestos removal work to ensure compliance.
Our deliverables
Programme of inspections of individual licensed contractors to ensure compliance with Control of Asbestos Regulations by individual licensees
Q4
ongoing
Complete and publish the report of Post Implementation Review of Control of Asbestos Regulations
Q3
Priority: Investigate to swiftly tackle and reduce risks, securing accountability for victims and their families
Great Britain has highly specialised, strategically important industries which
are essential to the country’s economy and social infrastructure but whose processes and hazard potential can cause great harm to their workers, the environment and the public.
A single incident with catastrophic consequences can undermine entire sectors by eroding public trust and acceptance of the need for such activities.
HSE’s regulatory approach is to provide assurance that risks are being properly managed. The approach is described in our Major Hazard Regulatory Model.6
The aim of our regulatory activities in major hazard sectors is to:
confirm dutyholders have properly focused their risk management efforts on major accident hazards, and are controlling risks and complying with the law;
take proportionate action, including enforcement, to ensure dutyholders make improvements where there is evidence of significant shortfalls in control measures; and
provide advice to the planning system to protect people around major hazard sites, major hazard pipelines and licensed explosives sites.
We work collaboratively with other regulators, agencies, government departments and devolved administrations to promote cooperation, minimise duplication, coordinate joint regulatory activities, and share information and intelligence. We will not intervene if another regulator has specific responsibility. We work closely with established stakeholder fora in major hazard industries to drive and influence behavioural change.
We will ensure that our approach is based on the best available data and evidence including foresight analysis to consider the future world
6 www.hse.gov.uk/regulating-major-hazards/major- hazards-regulatory-model.pdf
of work. We will address emerging challenges in major hazard industries including scientific research into the new advanced manufacturing techniques in the explosives sector.
We plan to deliver around 650 offshore and onshore major hazard interventions, while recognising that delivering safety case and safety report assessments and investigations which meet our incident selection criteria will take priority.
Provide assurance that dutyholders are identifying and managing the major hazard risks they create
Strengthen major hazard leadership and worker engagement with a specific focus on industry leadership of process safety
Priority: Provide assurance that dutyholders are identifying and managing the major hazard risks they create
We use intelligence from multiple sources to deliver a programme of regulatory activities including:
targeted inspections to test dutyholders’ risk management systems;
assessment of safety cases and reports by which dutyholders demonstrate how they control major hazards;
issuing licences, classifications and authorisations for explosives manufacture, storage and transport and genetically modified organism assessments; and
advising planning authorities on proposals for hazardous substance consents and developments around major hazard sites.
Our deliverables
A programme of proactive inspections to address priority areas at major hazard sites including on shore ‘mothballed’ sites
Q4
Assess 75% of safety cases and safety reports within agreed timescales
ongoing
ongoing
Priority: Strengthen engagement with industry on process safety leadership principles
Our priority is to promote effective leadership across high hazard industries and gain commitments to sustained improvement, so that ownership of risks is taken by those with the responsibility to reduce them.
Process safety will be a specific focus in 2021/22 and we will review industry leadership on areas including hydrocarbon release reduction, asset integrity, operational integrity and maintenance management.
We will create an intervention plan to stimulate and test the embedding of the principles of process safety leadership for the offshore oil and gas industry.
Our deliverables
Complete a targeted programme of interventions focused on Process Safety Leadership principles
Q4
Priority: Raise operators’ focus on cyber security to ensure appropriate protection against major incidents
The National Cyber Security Centre has indicated threat levels to cyber security within the UK’s major hazard industries have increased.
Greater integration of IT and industrial control systems requires greater precautions against cyberattacks on systems delivering major accident controls.
Our priority is to continue to raise operators’ focus on cyber security to ensure appropriate protection against major accidents. We will do this through targeted inspections and continuing to influence by our engagement through stakeholder fora.
In addition, on behalf of BEIS, we will carry out inspections and investigations under the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations.
Our deliverables
Complete a programme of inspections at targeted major hazard sites in order to assess the management of cyber risks that may impact upon industrial control systems
Q4
Complete a programme of inspections at the sites of essential services (as defined by NIS Regulations) using intelligence- led data to assess management of cyber risks that may impact on provision of essential services
Q4
To maximise our potential to affect positive change we must continue to
use our resources efficiently and effectively, while investing in capability and supporting infrastructure.
Our strategic direction
Due to the global pandemic, we made less progress on developing our 10-year strategy than we originally planned, and this will be a key focus in 2021/22.
As part of this we will review our mission, vision and values to ensure they are relevant to the future world of work. We will also review our target operating model to ensure our processes and resources are organised optimally to deliver the strategy.
Our infrastructure
It is critical that in 2021/22 we invest in our supporting infrastructure to both improve organisational resilience, as well as provide the platform to enable delivery of more regulatory services in an efficient and effective way.
Ensuring basic digital infrastructure will be a key priority for the year to support future chemicals and BSR programmes.
Our people
Our people are at the heart of what we do and the difference we make. We need to continue to make HSE an excellent place to work – building a more diverse and inclusive workplace, where everyone feels valued, and treated with dignity and respect. Our people are at their best when they can be themselves. HSE is fully engaged with the wider Civil Service aim of being a Brilliant Civil Service and the UK’s most inclusive employer.
Our finances
Since 2010, we have delivered more than £100m of savings to government through a combination of reducing our running costs and generating income through cost-recovery and commercial activity. We will have a continued and rigorous focus on driving efficiency and continuous improvement in the delivery of our functions.
As we enter the Spending Review for 2021, it is essential that we secure a sustainable financial footing for HSE.
Develop a 10-year strategy and supporting target operating model
Invest in our infrastructure focusing on IT to ensure we are fit for the future
Secure a sustainable financial future for HSE by improving performance through data and assurance
Priority: Develop a 10-year strategy and supporting target operating model
Having a clear, long-term strategic vision for HSE is critical to ensuring we remain relevant in the changing world of work and our increasing public assurance focus.
We will develop a 10-year strategy to provide purpose and clarity for HSE.
We will develop a supporting target operating model to help us optimise our processes through digital enablement, as well as organise our resources for maximum impact. As part of this, we will also consider future flexible working across HSE – ensuring optimal utilisation of our estate and IT infrastructure.
Our deliverables
Q3
Q4
Q4
Priority: Invest in our infrastructure focusing on IT to ensure we are fit for the future
Over 90% of our IT activity is focused on keeping current systems operating. Our priority is to invest in our infrastructure to ensure we are fit for the future, including:
establishing a development and test environment as part of improving digital infrastructure to initially support the systems activity for biocides and pesticides regimes and BSR
insourcing of the staff and activities provided by the current IT provider
a modern web presence
Our deliverables
Establish a test and development environment for biocides and pesticides regimes and BSR
Q4
Complete insourcing of staff and activities from current external IT provider
Q3
Develop a modern web strategy Q3 Undertake user needs analysis to inform
SD IT infrastructure in Buxton Q3
Complete required office moves to HSE office standards
Q4
Replace wide area network Q3
Priority: Support our people to be the best they can by improving inclusion and wellbeing
Led through our people and underpinned by our systems, we will continue to build a healthy and safe working environment. This will be embedded in our target operating model as part of an engagement plan.
Our deliverables
Embed arrangements for how we promote wellbeing, prevent mental ill health, and support colleagues where the need arises
Q2
Reduce average working days lost to 5.5 days per full-time equivalent (6 days in 2020/21)
ongoing
Motivated, engaged and resourced workforce
Keeping our colleagues informed, listening to their views and involving them in our purpose, priorities and plans is central to our engagement strategy.
We were particularly pleased with the achievement of 60% in the engagement index of the Civil Service People Survey. This represented an increase of 11% on the previous year and reflected the overall support for colleagues during the pandemic. Although we recognise this was an exceptional year, our aim is to build on the positive aspects.
The 23% reduction in the percentage of staff who have personally experienced bullying or harassment was also pleasing as we move closer to achieving a zero-tolerance culture.
Our deliverables
Programme of senior leadership events to support leaders to deliver
Q4
Hold all-staff events Q4 Achieve an Engagement Index of 61%
(60% in 2020) as measured through the Civil Service People Survey
Q3
Q4
Diversity and inclusion
Having achieved Disability Confident Level 3 in 2019, and with improvements in engagement and attendance, we will continue to make HSE a place where our people can be their best.
Continuing to work with trade unions and our diversity networks, we endeavour to make HSE an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Our ambition is to change the profile of the workforce with a higher proportion of BAME staff and more senior leaders with protected characteristics, particularly women as we address our gender pay gap.
We support a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment and are working across HSE to reduce, year-on-year, the number of staff who experience this.
Our deliverables
Reduce to 9% (10% in 2020) the percentage of staff who have personally experienced bullying or harassment at work during the past 12 months as measured by the Civil Service People Survey
Q3
Priority: Secure a sustainable financial future for HSE by improving performance through data and assurance
We will demonstrate alignment with key government priorities and deliver the outcomes of additional funding as part of the Spending Review 2020. This will be done in the most appropriate way to ensure we continue to play our part in reducing risks and protecting people.
In line with the Regulatory Futures Review and the independent Tailored Review of HSE, the Cost Recovery Programme aims to ensure HSE recovers the full cost of its activity from existing regimes and identifies other regulatory activity where cost recovery is appropriate.
A specific focus is within the renewable energy sectors so we can ensure a more sustained approach to support the government’s net zero ambitions.
We have reviewed our approach to business assurance and invested in a dedicated team to improve our approach to assurance planning and delivery.
We have now embedded a visual performance hub designed to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of all HSE operations. This will be supported by new shadow performance measures to inform where regulatory time is being focused and the timeliness of regulatory decisions to further improve operational excellence.
Our deliverables
Develop our Spending Review 2021 case Q3 Consult with industry on cost recovery
regimes and put appropriate legislation in place to commence recovery
Q4
Develop shadow performance measures to measure where regulatory time is being focused
Q2
Recruit new assurance roles within the corporate and regulatory assurance teams to build capacity and capability in accordance with our assurance framework
Q4
Establish a programme to replace the HR, Finance and Procurement shared service and SOP platform (expires October 2023)
Q3
Financial outlook for 2021/22
The Spending Review 2020 set our budget for 2021/22. We made bids related to
key government priorities and have received funding in addition to our baseline funds to cover the following activities:
COVID spot checks and income pressures;
COVID research and development transmission studies;
post-UK transition funding for biocides, pesticides, product safety and explosives; and
establishing BSR.
(Grant in Aid) £ million
£81m recovered through cost recovery and commercial income; and
£246m funded through grant in aid.
Costs recovered from regulatory work will increase in future in line with recommendations made in the Regulatory Futures Review.
The expenditure budget is broken down as follows:
Staff costs £148m
Staff related £5m
Monitoring our delivery
HSE publishes a range of statistics relating to the health and safety performance of
Great Britain. Using a variety of data sources, including surveys and surveillance schemes, we provide statistics on:
work-related ill health and disease;
workplace injury;
enforcement of health and safety legislation;
working days lost and costs to Britain as a result of health and safety incidents; and
working conditions and management of health and safety in the workplace.
The latest 2020 statistics can be found on our website7 and a visual summary is provided below.
Risk and performance management plays a key role in our governance process to support us to meet our objectives, while protecting our assets and reputation.
We monitor our performance and delivery through a suite of integrated risk and performance reporting measures which emphasise the links between our most significant risks and their potential to impact on performance. In 2020/21 we introduced a visual Performance Hub to drive further improvements in performance and accountability.
7 https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh1920.pdf
1.6 million Work-related ill health cases (new or long-standing) in 2019/20
Source: Estimates based on self-reports from the Labour Force Survey, people who worked in the last 12 months
0.7 million Workers sustaining a non-fatal injury in 2019/20
Source: Estimates based on self-reports from the Labour Force Survey
38.8 million Working days lost due to work-related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2019/20
Source: Estimates based on self-reports from the Labour Force Survey
0.8 million Work-related stress, depression or anxiety cases (new or long- standing) in 2019/20
65,427 Non-fatal injuries to employees reported by employers in 2019/20
Source: RIDDOR
12,000 Lung disease deaths each year estimated to be linked to past exposures at work
Source: Counts from mesothelioma and other death certificates and estimates from epidemiological information
0.5 million Work-related musculoskeletal disorder cases (new or long- standing) in 2019/20
111 Fatal injuries to workers in 2019/20
Source: RIDDOR
2,446 Mesothelioma deaths in 2018 with a similar number of lung cancer deaths linked to past exposures to asbestos
Source: Mesothelioma death certificates
10.6 billion Annual costs of new cases of work-related ill health in 2018/19, excluding long- latency illness such as cancer
Source: Estimates based on HSE Costs to Britain Model
5.6 billion Annual costs of workplace injury in 2018/19
16.2 billion Annual costs of work-related injury and new cases of ill health in 2018/19, excluding long-latency illness such as cancer
Key facts
Within this reporting framework, the Board, Executive Committee, Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) and the Department for Work and Pensions Partnership Board receive reports which enable them to:
consider and challenge how the most significant risks are managed across HSE and decide on any new control measures;
consider any emerging risks;
agree expected risk ratings given the respective direction of travel;
review the effectiveness of respective control measures and the outcome of assurance reviews – including reference to, and consideration of, selected key performance indicators.
ARAC’s functions also include monitoring the management of risk and providing assurance to the HSE Board on the effectiveness of our risk management processes and control framework. For 2021/22, ARAC will ensure risks are managed in respect of establishing BSR.
The Science, Engineering and Evidence Assurance Committee (SEEAC) provides assurance to the HSE Board on the quality and relevance of its science and engineering strategy and delivery.
We will continue to monitor our delivery through a suite of performance indicators, supported by a monthly visual Performance Hub.
Our key performance indicators and targets for 2021/22 include:
2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Target
Milestones in plan delivered 90% 87% 82% 90%
Fatal investigations: Completed within 12 months of HSE assuming primacy 68% 78% 60% 80%
Non-fatal investigations: Completed within 12 months of the incident 90% 89% 90% 90%
Financial: Deliver a balanced budget
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
People: Engagement: Engagement Index (as measured by the Civil Service People Survey)
53%
54%
60%
61%
People: Health and safety of our staff: Average working days lost per full-time equivalent
6.5
7.0
6.0
5.5
People: Bullying, harassment and discrimination: Percentage of staff who have personally experienced bullying or harassment at work during the past 12 months (as measured by the Civil Service People Survey)
13%
13%
10%
9%
HSE Business Plan 2021/22
Summary of milestone delivery
Financial outlook for 2021/22

hse business plan 2021/22

Documents