Changes To HSE Incident Reporting Mean Only Website Reporting Of Most Incidents

Only fatal and major injuries and incidents will be able to be reported by phone to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), with all other work-related injuries and incidents reportable under RIDDOR (see notes to editors) to be reported via one of a suite of seven online forms available on HSE's website.

Trevor Carlile, HSE's Director of Strategy said :

"This should not be a significant change for many, as more than half of reportable injuries are already notified to HSE through the website. The new forms are intuitive and quick and easy to complete. The most important thing is that there will still be somebody at the end of the phone to assist those who are reporting a traumatic event that has resulted in a death or major injury.

Later this month, HSE's Infoline telephone service which currently provides a basic information service to callers will end. Instead, from 30 September, those seeking information and official guidance will be directed to HSE's website - a huge knowledge bank where they can access and download resources and use interactive web tools free of charge.

Various improvements have been made to HSE's website to coincide with the closure of Infoline. There is clearer information on what HSE does and doesn't do, so people can check that HSE is the right organisation to assist them, and expanded 'question & answer' sections for the most frequent health and safety enquiries such as those on RIDDOR reporting and First Aid."

He added:

"HSE's website is already overwhelmingly the most popular option for accessing health and safety information. We're confident that our web services can be efficient and effective at a fraction of the cost per contact compared with telephone services. We'll continue to make improvements to make the website as intuitive and easy-to-use as possible."

HSE continues to provide information and guidance to employers and workers in a range of other ways: through direct work with organisations and trade associations, face-to-face at workshops and safety training days and via books and eBulletins. A comprehensive suite of health and safety advice is also available via the Government's website for businesses "Businesslink.gov", and DirectGov.

People will still be able to make complaints about health and safety in the workplace.

However, TUC Risks says: "The move comes less than three weeks before HSE pulls the plug on Infoline, its telephone based health and safety advice system. Both moves have been driven by draconian cuts to HSE's budget imposed by the current government."

TUC Risks added: "But critics say the move could amplify a 'digital divide' on health and safety. Earlier this year, in comments on the 30 September Infoline closure, TUC warned 'you cannot replace a human interface with a website."

Source: HSE / TUC Risks

Designed, Hosted and Maintained by Union Safety Services