Major incident response and investigation

Stage 1: Receive incident details

Ensure the incident is dealt with by the right enforcing authority by:

• checking, if necessary, the relevant enforcing authority guidance
  Note: this link takes you to the Investigation procedure for this guidance
• passing the incident to an appropriate officer in the correct part of HSE, or
• passing it to another relevant enforcing authority, as necessary

Assess the incident and if it is:

• a potential major incident

Then:

• arrange for the incident details to be sent to HSE Secretariat and afterwards, to  the appropriate D/D secretariat as necessary

Performance standard

Assess the incident and notify the details to HSE  secretariat within:

• 1 hour of being notified of a potential major incident

Reconsider the information available and if the incident is not a potential major incident:

• ensure the Investigation procedure is followed instead

go to step 1.5 Investigation procedure

• arrange for HSE secretariat and the appropriate D/D secretariat to be informed of this decision

If considered to be potentially a major incident

• advise head of Directorate/Division of incident and advise of importance
• confirm with HSE secretariat
• confirm with DD secretariat

Performance standard:

Consider the incident and notify confirmation to HSE and DD secretariat within:

• 1 hour of the initial notification if potentially a major incident
• 1 hour of the initial notification if decided not to be a major incident

Immediately upon receipt of a report of a potential major incident:

• notify a member of HSE Executive
• alert Press Office
• alert HSL
• inform other internal and external stakeholders as appropriate
• brief the HSE Duty Officer if the incident continues after office hours