According to the HSE, none of the 31
incidents they have assessed this year, in which people have complained that
pesticides made them ill, are 'confirmed'. Where does the evidence get lost?
The HSE is one of six possible agencies who
investigate pesticide exposure incidents and enforce pesticide safety
legislation.
Copies of the HSE free leaflet (which
includes a reporting form) Reporting incidents of exposure to pesticides and
veterinary medicines (INDG141 revd 2/99 C1000) are available from HSE Books,
PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS tel 01787 881165, or from PEX.
Why are so few incidents reported to the HSE?
What really happens when you do? PEX members who have recently filled in
the following questionnaire - in confidence - have provided useful information
for the House of Commons Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee
Inquiry into the Work of the HSE. Any other returns will be useful: the issues
they raise will be discussed with the HSE.
Contact Alison
Craig for copies of the PEX/HSE Questionnaire below, and a Freepost return
envelope
Which regional HSE office dealt with the
incident?
What happened? Please outline
very briefly.
·Did the incident result in a serious injury or illness?
Reporting the incident
How easy was it to find out who to report the problem to?
Were you referred to one or more other agencies by HSE before they then dealt with the incident?
Do you think a single emergency 'hotline' (like the one now operated by the Environment Agency's) would have helped?
How soon after the incident did you inform the HSE?
If you telephoned them on the day, or shortly afterwards, what did they say?
Did they advise you over the telephone to
see your GP straightaway, if you were concerned about ill-health effects,
and to tell your GP that you had been exposed to a pesticide?
Speed of response
How long did it take for the HSE to investigate your incident (with exact dates if possible)?
Did the HSE appear to be short of staff or time?
Was evidence about the incident lost
because of a delay in the HSE response (for example, after rain)?
Confidentiality
Did you feel worried about reporting the
incident for fear of trouble from the user?
Did the HSE satisfactorily maintain
confidentiality in your case?
Attitude
What was the HSE inspector's attitude towards you?
Did the HSE inspector seem to believe your account?
What was the HSE's attitude towards the user?
And the pesticide itself?
Quality of investigation
Did the HSE carry out soil sampling to gather evidence about the pesticide incident?
Did the HSE inspector appear to have the technical competence to investigate the incident proficiently?
Did you inform the HSE inspector about witnesses s/he could interview who would corroborate your account?
Did the inspector do so?
In your opinion, did the HSE inspector gather a 50:50 body of evidence about the incident from you and the pesticide user?
Employment Medical Advisory Service (HSE medical referral system)
Did you receive any medical investigation and treatment through the HSE by EMAS?
Was it satisfactory?
Your expectations
Were you expecting a criminal prosecution of the pesticide user by the HSE as a result of their investigation?
Would that have been appropriate, in your opinion?
If not, which course of action did the
HSE take? verbal or written advice to the user / issue of an
Improvement Notice, or Prohibition Notice
Were you expecting civil compensation
from the incident? Did you receive it?
HSE follow-up
Was the incident subject to an HSE Ombudsman inquiry? If so, please could you send a copy of the final report, if available. What was the outcome?
What was the result of the incident in the Pesticide Incident Appraisal Panel (the HSE annual review of pesticide incidents alleged to have caused ill-health) report?
Was the PIAP report accurate and
satisfactory, in your opinion?
[Published in PEX Newsletter No.5, December 1999]