Why HSE takes time to investigate

Published: 1 September, 2011

• JOHN Gulliver questions the competence and speed of the Health and Safety Executive investigators in the case against Foxtel Ltd and its role in the death of Noel Corbin (Let down by a slow safety watchdog, August 25), but he misses the point.

While Mr Gulliver laments the sentence the court handed down, the point for HSE is that putting a poorly investigated case before the courts would neither secure justice for Mr Corbin or his family.

HSE always strives to bring cases before the courts in a timely manner.

Often the facts behind a case are complex and demand meticulous and often painstaking investigation.
Such investigations do take time.

HSE’s primary concern is to ensure evidence is correctly gathered to support any prosecution and to prevent similar incidents reoccurring.

In this case HSE sought expert technical and legal advice to ensure it could prove to the court that Foxtel Ltd was indeed guilty of an offence.

TIM GALLOWAY
Head of Operations,
London, Southern Division
Field Operations Directorate
Health and Safety Executive