The move is part of a revenue-raising and cost-cutting drive at the Health and Safety Executive in the wake of Lord Young’s report into the future of the body.

HSE chair Judith Hackitt said: “We are working on a proposal to charge those who create risks. A so-called: “fee for fault” principle.

“The idea being that those who are found not to be compliant with the law during an inspection should be charged for the work that HSE does following the issuing of a notice or other requirement for action to rectify the fault.

“We believe that this approach is fair and equitable and will be welcomed by the vast majority of businesses who are compliant and who see those who take short cuts as getting away with an unfair competitive advantage.

“Such an approach should be seen by business as a way of levelling the playing field.”