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Information and advice

Website

HSE publishes a comprehensive range of information and guidance on our website. You can find out what the health and safety law requires by searching under the relevant topic or industry section, and all of our publications are free to download.

The three areas of our site below deal with some of the most common areas of interest:

Frequently asked questions

An extensive series of our most frequently asked questions and answers is available that cover a wide array of information and guidance concerning health and safety law, information and guidance.

Health and safety made simple

If you think health and safety has to be complicated - it doesn't. The Health and safety made simple site will make it easier for you to comply with the law and manage health and safety in your business.

For many businesses, all that’s required is a basic series of tasks. The site will take you through the steps and help you make sure you have done what you need to - and no more.

Toolbox

The toolbox site explains what the law requires and helps you put it into practice. It involves practical steps that protect people from harm and at the same time protect the future success and the growth of your business.

HSE does not operate a telephone helpline for general health and safety information. If you need to engage the services of a health and safety consultant, you may wish to visit the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR).

Technical advice

If you have already looked on HSE’s website but require technical advice or interpretation of guidance, in relation to a work activity for which HSE is the enforcing authority, please contact us using the online advice form. HSE will aim to respond to advice requests within 30 working days. Your advice request may be referred to a topic expert within HSE.

Requests for information will be directed to the HSE website or relevant enforcing authority.

What constitutes an information or advice query?

Information

HSE regards information enquiries as being;

Material that provides facts on health and safety legislation and what businesses have to do, such as quotes, extracts from, or references to, HSE or Government legislation (eg ‘Introduction to health and safety’ leaflet).

This may be information relevant to all businesses or specific to some sectors.

Examples of information requests:

  • Information/leaflets regarding new and expectant mothers at work.
  • Where to find a doctor who deals with diving medicals.
  • The minimum temperature for a workplace and what to do if it is below that.
  • Does a company with no employees have to complete a risk assessment?

Advice

HSE regards advice enquiries as being;

An opinion that someone offers about what a person/business should do or implement for a given health and safety matter.

If an opinion is not required to address the question, it is classed as a request for information and the answer is obtainable from HSE’s website.

Examples of advice requests:

  • An interpretation of the Approved Code of Practice for the Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations, specifically regulation 13, section 1 regarding ladder use.
  • I have read the Control of Legionella guidance but I'm unclear what responsibilities I have as a letting agent.
  • You have checked our website but could not find the information and wanted to know if a certain amount of chemicals is exempt from the carriage of dangerous goods legislation.
  • Is a construction project notifiable if it is broken down into three separate stages?

If you are not able to use the online advice form then you can request advice by email or telephone our Advisory Team on 0300 003 1747 during office hours - 8.30 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

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2013-09-09