Health and safety enforcement action taken

In England and Wales the decision whether to prosecute will take account of the full test set down by the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. No prosecution may go ahead unless the prosecutor finds there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction, and decides that prosecution would be in the public interest.

In Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal decides whether to bring a prosecution. This may be on the basis of a recommendation by an enforcing authority, although the Procurator Fiscal may investigate the circumstances and institute proceedings independently of an enforcing authority. The Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service have endorsed ORR’s Policy Statement on Enforcement.

Further details of enforcement notices we have issued and prosecutions that have resulted in a conviction can be found via the following links:

• Improvement notices
• Prohibition notices
• Prosecutions

Copies of improvement and prohibition notices can be found on our Public register. Guidance on searching ( 2135 Kb) the Public register is available.

Details of notices issued and prosecutions concluded prior to 1 April 2006 (when HMRI transferred to ORR from the Health and Safety Executive) can be found on the HSE website.

Last updated: February 2013