How to identify genuine HSE telephone surveys

Q. If I unexpectedly receive a telephone call at home or at work from someone stating that they are undertaking a health and safety survey on behalf of HSE, am I obliged to answer their questions?

All HSE surveys of individuals are completely voluntary and you are not obliged to respond. If you are approached by an organisation on behalf of HSE, you are likely to have been contacted as part of a random selection process. Although HSE surveys are voluntary, it helps if as many as possible do agree to take part, so that we can build up an accurate picture of people's views and experiences. HSE undertakes surveys from time to time in order to obtain important information not available from any other source that helps us promote and achieve high standards of health and safety in Great Britain.

HSE appreciates the time you spend when answering surveys and this is an important way that you can help.

What surveys have been authentically commissioned by HSE?

HSE commissions a variety of surveys to meet its aim of ensuring that risks in the workplace are properly controlled. HSE will be sponsoring a major series of national surveys (including home and workplace telephone surveys) over the next few years. The surveys are designed to give HSE a better appreciation of how health and safety is being managed in Britain's workplaces and how HSE'S programmes are performing. They will tell HSE what's working, what isn't and why.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Contact HSEhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/index.htm
  2. Is HSE the correct enforcing authority?https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/authority.htm
  3. Ways to contact HSEhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/contact.htm
  4. FAQshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/index.htm
  5. Report an incident - RIDDORhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm
  6. Overview - Tell us about a health and safety issuehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/tell-us-about-a-health-and-safety-issue.htm
  7. What happens after you report an issue?https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/after-you-report-a-problem.htm
  8. Whistleblowershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/whistleblowers.htm
  9. HSE formshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/forms/index.htm
  10. Overview - HSE officeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/index.htm
  11. East & South Easthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/eastsoutheast.htm
  12. Londonhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/london.htm
  13. Midlandshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/midlands.htm
  14. North Westhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/northwest.htm
  15. Scotlandhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/scotland.htm
  16. Wales & South Westhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/waleswest.htm
  17. Yorkshire & North Easthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/yne.htm
  18. International and overseas visits to HSEhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/visit.htm
  19. Overview - Complaintshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/complain-about-hse.htm
  20. Complaints about regulatory advicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/regulatory-complaints.htm
  21. HSE’s regulation of higher hazard workplace and activitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/regulatory-complaintshazard.htm
  22. Freedom of Information (FOI)https://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/index.htm
  23. Confidentialityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/confidentiality.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

RIDDOR
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

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Updated 2022-08-10