SCAM ALERT - Be aware, protect staff information - protect your business!

Police are investigating two reports of bogus 'HSE officers' contacting construction companies in Scotland by telephone and requesting the names, job titles and telephone numbers of staff employed by these companies. The approaches seem to originate from a recruitment agency who may be 'headhunting' workers. A third, almost identical, approach has also been made recently to a construction company in Kent, details of which will be forwarded to the police.

Whilst HSE does make contact by telephone with individuals and/or companies in the course of its business, we would not request this type of information in this manner. Organisational procedures require HSE staff to remain professional at all times and require them to be able to provide clear contact details including contact numbers and line manager details on request.

Should anyone receive a telephone call purporting to be from HSE where they doubt the caller they should ask for a name and telephone number and say that they will call back, and then make contact with HSE through their normal contact point or by contacting HSE Infoline on 0845 345 0055 for confirmation of the validity of the call.

If you feel the caller is bogus, please obtain and record as much information from them as possible, ie date, time, individual's full name, full name of organisation, address and telephone number. This information should be passed in the first instance to your local police station and secondly to HSE on busmansec@hse.gsi.gov.uk.