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When and how we investigate

Investigating reportable injuries, diseases, dangerous occurrences and concerns raised by workers, the public or others helps us improve health and safety standards.

It allows us to:

  • determine causes
  • share lessons
  • identify what actions a dutyholder needs to take to prevent any recurrence
  • where appropriate, gather evidence to bring a prosecution

When do we investigate?

We don't investigate everything that is reported to us, only the most serious work-related incidents, injuries or cases of ill health – in line with our policies and procedures.

We consider all health and safety concerns[16] and make risk-based decisions when deciding what actions to take.

How do we investigate?

When we investigate we:

  • gather and establish the facts
  • identify immediate and underlying causes and lessons to be learned
  • take actions to prevent recurrence
  • identify any breaches of legislation
  • consider appropriate enforcement[17]

An investigation may range from an enquiry by a single inspector about a minor incident or complaint to a large enquiry involving a team of inspectors. Other agencies may be involved, eg the police where there has been a work-related death.

Reporting an incident

You can find advice on when to report an incident[18] on our site.

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) dutyholders must report certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses).

Further information

Our role as a regulator[19].

Link URLs in this page

  1. How HSE regulateshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/index.htm
  2. Overview - Our role as a regulatorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/our-role-as-regulator.htm
  3. Strategy policy and lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/strategy-policy-legal.htm
  4. Advice and guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/advice-information-guidance.htm
  5. Influencing and engaginghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/influencing-engaging.htm
  6. Permissioning and licensinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/permissioning-licensing.htm
  7. How we inspecthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/how-we-inspect.htm
  8. When and how we investigate https://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/when-how-investigate.htm
  9. Overview - Enforcement actionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcement.htm
  10. Enforcement Policy Statement (EPS)https://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcepolicy.htm
  11. Enforcement Management Model (EMM)https://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcement-management-model.htm
  12. Working with other regulatorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/working-with-other-regulators.htm
  13. Expert guidance on risk managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/expert/index.htm
  14. Register of convictions and noticeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/convictions.htm
  15. Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/resources.htm
  16. health and safety concernshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/og/ogprocedures/complaints/index.htm
  17. enforcementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcement.htm
  18. when to report an incidenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/when-do-i-report.htm
  19. Our role as a regulatorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/our-role-as-regulator.htm
  20. What to expect when a health and safety inspector callshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc14.htm
  21. Regulation of health and safety at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse51.htm
  22. Enforcement Policy Statement (EPS)https://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcepolicy.htm
  23. Enforcement Management Model (EMM)https://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcement-management-model.htm
  24. Enforcement guide - England and Waleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcementguide/index.htm
  25. Enforcement guide - Scotlandhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcementguidesc/index.htm
  26. Fee for intervention (FFI)https://www.hse.gov.uk/fee-for-intervention/index.htm

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Updated 2024-11-29