Health and Safety Scams

The Health and Safety Executive urges companies and other organisations to ignore information they receive from three firms purporting to regulate health and safety legislation.

HSE has received hundreds of complaints from companies across the country that have been sent requests for payment in return for compliance with health and safety law.

The three firms, all based in north-west England, have written to companies all over Great Britain asking for between £125 and £249 to ensure they comply with health and safety law.

A Liverpool firm calling itself the Health and Safety Enforcement Agency (HSEA) demands £125 for a health and safety compliance pack. The Manchester-based Health and Safety Compliance Agency (HSCA) says a health and safety compliance register will become law on 1 May 2004 and that all businesses should apply for registration, for a fee of £129.25. A third company, the Health and Safety Registration Enforcement Division (HSRED), which gives a Rochdale address, tells recipients to pay up to £249 for health and safety registration.

Anyone receiving literature from any of these companies can ignore it; there is no legal need for anyone to buy literature or services from these companies.None of these companies is connected to HSE. Organisations should be very wary of any approach from these firms, or any company ‘offering’ similar services. All three firms use wording suggesting they are official enforcement bodies, but they are not.

HSE never writes indiscriminately to firms seeking advance payment for services which it has not provided.These companies are asking for significant sums of money, claiming they will send out information, much of which HSE provides free of charge.

HSE’s legitimate Health and Safety Starter Pack is available to any business for £30.

More information on The Health and Safety Starter Pack: Health and Safety Advice and Guidance for New and Small Businesses can be found on HSE’s website:www.hse.gov.uk/startup/content/starterpack.htm

Anyone receiving literature from any of these firms should report it to HSE’s Infoline on 08701 545500, or their local HSE office.