Yesterday I observed a couple of persons working in an unsafe manner (Icouldn't speak to the persons as they were in a cradle 15M up over hanging a busy street). The work was taking place 250 metres from Rose Court, The HSE London office. Did my public duty bit and went in. Could I see a construction HSE inspector to report unsafe working around the corner from their office "not without an appointment" was the reply from the receptionist. She did give me their switch board number where I was put through to some minion who informed me I should report the incident to their call centre in Liverpool. I did but the moment had now gone. I suppose the Inspectors are not allowed to intervene to immediate issues as they won't be able to charge very much. I know and understand that Inspectors can not be at the beck and call of everyone 24/7 but when a member of the public calls in to an office and reports something less than five minutes walk away - an immediate response is not unreasonable - Is it?

This doesn't surprise me a bit. Some years ago I was on my way to work in Battersea and drove past a construction site where the counterweight of a tower crane was positioned immediately above the pavement, with people walking under it blissfully unaware. I rang the HSE office as soon as I got to work, but got about as much interest as the wall I was looking at.