When the HSE Arrive: A Practical Guide for Duty Holders
When the HSE Arrive: A Practical Guide for Duty Holders
What to do when the Health and Safety Executive turns up at your door.
The phone rings. It’s the operations manager. You feel that knot in your stomach as they say the words no one wants to hear: “The HSE are here.”
What do you do next?
For most, it’s a moment of panic.
For the prepared, it’s a chance to demonstrate competence and control. This isn’t about scare tactics, it’s about having a clear, professional plan of action.
The Best Time to Prepare?
Months Before the Visit
Real preparation means embedding genuine safety standards not just documentation, but culture, systems, and operational readiness.
When the HSE arrive unannounced, you should feel confident in your workplace’s performance any day of the week.
Four Golden Rules When the HSE Are On Site
- Inform your H&S lead and coordinate the response. Alert the most senior competent person on site , their role is to calmly and professionally coordinate with the inspector. A key part of this initial response should include professionally informing the Business Owner or Head of Operations of the visit. This shows transparency and maintains trust.
- Always accompany the inspector. This keeps communication clear, prevents misunderstandings, and allows you to provide real context. It also demonstrates transparency and leadership engagement.
- Be cooperative, not defensive. Inspectors hold legal powers under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Obstruction raises red flags and can escalate a routine visit. Facilitate the process while demonstrating professionalism and a genuine commitment to improvement.
- Have your documentation ready. You’ll need more than a tidy desk. Inspectors commonly request:
- Health & Safety Policy and organisation chart
- Risk Assessments and operational procedures
- Training records and competency certificates
- Accident, incident, and near-miss reports
- Equipment inspection logs and maintenance records
- COSHH assessments (where applicable)
- Subcontractor or supplier management records
- Safety briefing attendance logs Having these systematically organised shows competent, proactive management.
A Real-World Example
I recently worked with a company who received an unannounced HSE visit during a busy period. Because we’d implemented robust systems months earlier, including mock inspections and document reviews, the operations manager was able to confidently walk the inspector through all requested areas.
The inspector’s feedback: “This is clearly a well-managed workplace with strong safety leadership.”
No enforcement action was taken. The business owner gained valuable confidence in their internal capability and extended our engagement to other areas.
What Happens Next?
HSE inspection outcomes typically include:
- Verbal or written advice for minor issues
- Improvement Notices for breaches requiring correction
- Prohibition Notices for serious risks requiring immediate stop of work
Best-case scenario: The inspector leaves impressed by your systems, engagement, and safety culture perhaps even commending your approach.
Building Long-Term Resilience
At Fortis & Noble, we support businesses and duty holders with:
- Full-system safety audits and gap analysis
- ISO 45001 compliance support
- Behavioural safety assessments and psychosocial risk reviews
- Retained advisory services for inspections, tenders, and client audits
- Our proprietary CultureMark™ framework for strengthening organisational safety culture
The goal isn’t just compliance. It’s building organisations that genuinely prioritise health, safety, and wellbeing at every level.
Don’t wait for the knock on the door. Build the confidence that comes from knowing you’re truly prepared.
What’s Your Experience?
Have you faced an unannounced HSE visit? What worked and what would you do differently next time?
To discuss how Fortis & Noble can support your business, email me at: [email protected]