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New incident reporting arrangements herald HSE telephone line closure
With effect from 12th September 2011 only fatal and major injuries and incidents will be reportable by telephone to HSE. All other work-related injuries and incidents reportable under RIDDOR will be reported via one of a suite of seven online forms.
In addition, from 30th September 2011 the HSE Infoline telephone service will end and those seeking information and official guidance will be directed to the HSE website.
HSE suggest that following closure of Infoline those requiring further advice may use “commercial health and safety advice phone services or a health and safety consultant”
Government websites will fill information needs
Information and guidance to employers and workers will continue to be provided in other ways i.e. direct work with organisations, face-to-face at workshops and safety training days and via books and eBulletins. HSE also states that a “comprehensive suite of health and safety advice is also available via the Government websites Businesslink.gov and DirectGov“.
It will still be possible to make complaints about health and safety in the workplace by calling 0845 345 0055
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.
The HSE 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.”