Rank: Forum user 
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Hi,
Is there a set of criteria to request when somebody from the HSE calls you? Basically, i've had a phone call today from someone claiming to be from the Health and Safety Executive asking for names of individuals in the company. I have not provided any information yet, as i have requested he call back. I have no problem whatsoever cooperating with the HSE, and have no reason not to cooperate with them. But, how do i know if the chap calling me is actually from the HSE? When i questioned whether he was from the HSE he stumbled an unconvinving "Yes, i'm J**** *****".
So in conclusion to my waffling, i don't want to give information out to some cheeky chappy trying it on to send us marketing information etc pretending to be from HSE OR from a company named similar to it.
Does this make sense?
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
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Rank: Forum user
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Did he want your bank details by any chance ?
I would just wait till the knock on the door , surely a body like the HSE must have a better protocol than this , goodness me .
Apart from the obvious good relations and trust issue being undermined .I could be wrong here ?
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Rank: Super forum user
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I would simply tell him that you do not reveal this sort of information on the basis of a telephone request. You need an official request in writing from the local Health and Safety Executive office to be able to consider your response.
If he is genuine he should be able to do this. If not......!
Chris
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Rank: Super forum user
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You could request their telephone number and call them back?
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Rank: Forum user
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He wanted names, particularly Transport Manager, and wanted to confirm the number of employees we have. I felt that i wanted to ask him for some form of identification, as his approach was unconvincing and unproffessional. The problem would be- what can i ask him!? He could make anything up and i'd just be on the other end with the phone in my hand saying 'errrrrrr, ummmm.... oookkaaaayy thanks'
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Rank: Super forum user 
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HSE do not cold call on the phone - they do just turn up to site however and show ID and wear hard hat with HSE logo on front.
If I get a call like that on the phone my protocol would be to tell the caller to push off. Or words to that effect.
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Rank: Forum user
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nickh wrote:You could request their telephone number and call them back? Why didn't i think of that??? Good idea. Maybe that idea was a bit too sensible for me to come up with!! Thanks
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Rank: Forum user
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When they call back (or if they call back) maybe you could say that due to the Data Protection Act you cannot give names over the phone, and as Chris advised, ask them to put it in writing? Sounds really fishy to me.
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Rank: Forum user
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Firesafety101 wrote:HSE do not cold call on the phone - they do just turn up to site however and show ID and wear hard hat with HSE logo on front.
If I get a call like that on the phone my protocol would be to tell the caller to push off. Or words to that effect. I thought that if they really wanted some info from us then they'd just turn up. At least then you know who you're talking to. Good protocol.
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks for all the help.
A request in writing, coupled with taking their contact details will be my next step if they call back. There has been some useful information given in this topic- thanks to all.
Kralph.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I have had this in the past and they were NOT from the HSE, They became very irritated when I asked for proof they were who they said they were (including a phone number to call them back), they hung up on me in the end. I also had calls from the National statistics Office, same issue with them. The NSO lot even threatened the receptionist with a £2k fine. We contacted the NSO and they said it was not them ! My view is head hunters
I did contemplate creating a fictional person with their own company email address to see what dropped out of the woodwork.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Just wondering................
is it a specific criminal offence to impersonate a HSE inspector?
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Rank: Forum user
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walker wrote:Just wondering................
is it a specific criminal offence to impersonate a HSE inspector? I would think that to impersonate any individual, group of individuals, or organisation to obtain data must be an offence. As for general impersonation of an HSE inspector......pass! I'm sure the answer is out there...
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Rank: Forum user 
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kralph wrote:walker wrote:Just wondering................
is it a specific criminal offence to impersonate a HSE inspector? I would think that to impersonate any individual, group of individuals, or organisation to obtain data must be an offence. As for general impersonation of an HSE inspector......pass! I'm sure the answer is out there... Short answer is yes it is...it's in HASAWA somewhere, can't remember the specific section but somewhere towards the end. However that only applies to impersonating an officer with the power to enter premises, issue improvement notes etc - I suspect someone only claiming to be from the HSE and asking for information wouldn't count. HOWEVER - depending what they then do with that information they could be guilty of some kind of misrepresentation offence.
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Rank: Forum user
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yes it is an offences section 33
falsely to pretend to be an inspector;
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Rank: Forum user
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My response was to never give any of information in response to cold calls.
If I did get a cold call I would then call the Enforcing Authorities Office to confirm the call was genuine
I don’t think HSE now list the phone numbers of local offices but they do have a central number which then connects you to the local office
I think it is 0151 951 4000
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Rank: Super forum user
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I've had calls from HSE which are usually somebody other than an Inspector; Information Officer or something. They're usually calling following a RIDDOR report and offer to talk to key staff about a particular risk topic.
Have you had a transport-related RIDDOR recently? It may be that an Inspector's asked them to get more info.
Oh, and all the advice about not giving info over the phone? Spot on.
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Rank: Forum user
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safetyamateur wrote:I've had calls from HSE which are usually somebody other than an Inspector; Information Officer or something. They're usually calling following a RIDDOR report and offer to talk to key staff about a particular risk topic.
Have you had a transport-related RIDDOR recently? It may be that an Inspector's asked them to get more info.
Oh, and all the advice about not giving info over the phone? Spot on. Without wanting to say too much and jinx ourselves!!!- We haven't had a RIDDOR incident of any type in a long, long time. It was a call out of the blue, wanting to confirm certain things- employee numbers, name of transport manager and such. As i said in the original post, i have no problem helping or cooperating with the HSE, but i didn't want to give out such information to someone i didn't know. They haven't called back yet!
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Rank: Super forum user
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If they do call back, I would ask for; name, warrant card number, job title and contact number.
I would then say you will get back to them and contact the HSE.
I think this is totally bogus.
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Rank: Forum user
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Possibly bogus, but could also be one of the HSE admin doing work to clean up their database. Normal questions are, key personnel, numbes employed and primary function eg what gets done on site. Admin aren't warranted inspectors so you could refuse..but maybe easier to get them to email you the questions, you can check they have a .hse.gov.uk email address and email them back. Alternative would, eventually, be an inspector being sent out to check the details.
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Rank: Super forum user
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HSWA Section 33(1)(n) "falsely to pretend to be an inspector" but of course, if they only say they're from HSE they are not in breach.
There's a lot of these calls around and subject to current investigation by ? Trading Standards.
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Rank: Forum user
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There was a similar thread last year about a suspect company, could be the same group.. http://forum.iosh.co.uk/...spx?g=posts&t=103445Title post was; "HSE-UK wanting to inspect our premises???" Asking for their contact number and ringing back would seem the best option - Can't see a "real" HSE official being upset with such a prudent request.
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Rank: Forum user
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For any calls of this nature I always ask for the information request to be put in righting, you can even state this is company policy. If it is the HSE you will receive this and it won’t be a problem for them. If it is a marketing scam or a chancre you probably will not hear from them again.
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