NAO to Hold inquiry into the work of the HSE

The National Audit Office (NAO) is undertaking an inquiry into the role of the Health and Safety Executive in improving health and safety in the Construction Industry.

This is the first inquiry by the NAO into the HSE for 9 years. To see details of NAOs previous reports, click here

David Bergman, Director of the Centre for Corporate Accountability said:

"It is welcome that the NAO is looking into the effectiveness of the HSE. However, it should be noted that the NAO can only inquire into whether the HSE is using its existing resources efficiently, and not whether further resources are required’

The current inquiry is part of the NAO’s "programme of value for money studies" into specific government activities and programmes

The NAO has already carried out preliminary investigations to identity the main issues and methodology for the study and is currently carrying out the study’s fieldwork. As part of this, the NAO has written to stakeholders, including the Centre for Corporate Accountability. The following is an extract from the letter

"The HSE’s primary objective is to ensure that people’s health and safety from work activities are properly controlled. This is particularly important in the construction industry which, in 2001-02, contributed 79 of the 249 (32 per cent) of the fatal injuries to workers. The National Audit Office is carrying out an investigation to ascertain whether the HSE has effective strategies in place to secure improvements in the health and safety record of the construction industry, and what effect these are having. Specifically, we are examining three issues.

•	Are the HSE’s strategies and programmes appropriate and based on sound evidence?
•	Are the HSE’s strategies and programmes making an impact on the control and management of health and safety risks?
•	Are the barriers to improvements in the construction industry’s health and safety record being tackled effectively?"

The CCA is holding a seminar to bring together trade unions, safety organisations, other stakeholders and bereaved families to discuss these issues.

The NAO says that they will ‘review HSE’s performance by:

•	data analysis and document review at HSE;
•	interviews and work shadowing of HSE staff
•	consulting stakeholders to develop case studies on the impact of HSE’s strategies; and
•	identifying best practice in evaluation techniques and comparing HSE’s approach with these

We will focus on what HSE is doing to: reach key groups in the construction industry – such as the government as client and CDM duty holders – and the techniques used to reach these audiences; and its work to address specific problems such a falls from heights."

The NAO has posed the following questions for stakeholders to consider:

Click Here to find out what happens once the report is published?

For Further Information contact the CCA on 020 7490 4494

The NAO can be contacted on 020 7798 7000. To see its website, click here

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1. The Centre for Corporate Accountability is an independent nonprofit advice, research and lobbying group at the forefront of seeking to ensure that health and safety law is properly enforced and that deaths and injuries resulting from corporate activities are subject to adequate criminal investigations, and, where appropriate, prosecution and effective sanctions. It's charitable activities are funded by Joseph Rowntrees Charitable Trust.
   
   The Centre runs a Work Related Death Advice Service
   
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Previous NAO Reports

There are two NAO reports

To download the 1994 Report, Click Here (PDF)

To download the 1985 Report, Click Here (PDF)

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