The controversial Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme started 12 months ago.

The scheme means construction companies have to pay charges of £124 an hour if they are notified in writing by the HSE that it has found a ‘material breach’ on one of their sites.

International law firm DAC Beachcroft has carried out a survey into how life for its clients has changed since the scheme was introduced.

Sally Roff, Partner and Head of the Safety, Health and Environment team at DAC Beachcroft, said: “The overwhelming feeling from our national client survey is that the dynamic around HSE visits has changed dramatically, with organisations complaining of a ‘double whammy’ in that HSE inspectors are quick to identify a material breach, yet the advice they have provided to organisations in the past is frequently less available.

“The HSE’s 12-month review of the scheme is an opportunity for it to look at balancing its requirement to self-fund with the importance of maintaining an advisory relationship with the organisations it regulates.

“Our survey also showed that fewer than 50 per cent of those who oversaw the HSE visit in the workplace had heard of FFI prior to the inspector turning up on site.

“Organisations must ensure that those in key positions on their sites, not just in the board room, understand the implications of FFI, are given the resources to ensure compliance and know how to keep costs to a minimum in the event of a material breach being found.”

The HSE invoiced £727, 644.81 for site visits across all industries during the first two months of the scheme.