When you spot a hazard at work, knowing the exact protocol for how to report a health and safety issue can mean the difference between a quick fix and a serious incident. Whether you are dealing with faulty machinery, chemical spills, or inadequate safety gear, filing a formal report ensures that the problem is documented and addressed by the appropriate parties.
Many employees hesitate to speak up because they are unsure of the chain of command or fear getting into trouble, but understanding the proper procedure protects both your wellbeing and your legal rights. In this article, we provide clear guidance on how to report a health and safety issue to your supervisor, how to escalate concerns if they aren't resolved, and how to file a complaint with regulatory bodies if necessary.
Read the full guide below or read the quick 60 Second Solution.
You can also report a health and safety issue in minutes using the Safety Enforcer webapp.
What is a Health and Safety Issue?
Step-by-Step Guide to Reporting a Health and Safety Issue
What to Do If You Feel Your Concern Is Ignored
What is a Health and Safety Issue?
In the UK, a health and safety issue is any workplace factor — physical, chemical, or psychological — that has the potential to cause harm to employees or others. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have a legal duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of their staff. A failure to meet this duty constitutes a health and safety issue.
Common examples include:
- Physical Hazards: Unguarded machinery, unsafe work at height, slip and trip risks, poor manual handling practices, poor seating arrangements, and harmful exposure to noise or vibration.
- Chemical and Biological Hazards: Uncontrolled exposure to dusts (like wood or silica), fumes, asbestos, or hazardous substances that can cause acute or long-term illness.
- Psychosocial Hazards: Work-related stress, bullying, harassment, and excessive workloads that impact mental wellbeing.
Employers are legally required to conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments to identify these issues and implement control measures. Workers also have a duty to report any risks they spot. Ultimately, a health and safety issue arises wherever there is a foreseeable risk of harm that has not been properly managed or controlled.
Step-by-Step Guide to Reporting a Health and Safety Issue
Step 1: Report Internally Through Official Channels
Your first port of call should always be within your organisation. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to have clear procedures.
Informal Reporting: Mention the issue to your line manager or supervisor. Many problems are resolved quickly this way.
Formal Reporting: If informal doesn't work, or the issue is serious, use the official route:
- Use your company's reporting system. This may be a form, digital portal, or logbook. Your employer must make this known to you, as per HSE guidance.
- Report to your Health and Safety Representative (if you have one). Union reps or employee-nominated representatives can escalate concerns.
- Submit a written report. Email or a dated letter creates a record. Be specific: describe the hazard, its location, and the potential risk.
Step 2: Escalate Externally if Necessary
If the internal report brings no action and a serious risk remains, you can contact external authorities:
- An industry will typically fall under the remit of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or Environmental Health within the local authority (council). You can check the governing body for your industry on the government website (Resource - GOV.UK).
- For specific sectors: Some industries have their own regulator (e.g., the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) or the Care Quality Commission (CQC)). The HSE website directs you to the correct body.
- In an immediate danger: If there is a risk of serious personal injury, you have the right to remove yourself from danger.
What to Do If You Feel Your Concern Is Ignored
- Keep records of all communications (emails, forms, meeting notes).
- Contact your Trade Union if you are a member. They offer expert advice and representation.
- Seek further advice from ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), which provides free, impartial advice on employment rights.
- Use the HSE's formal concerns procedure. They treat reports confidentially. If your complaint was through Environmental Health then you can escalate to a stage 2 complaint about how the issue was dealt with.
Know Your Legal Protections
The Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended) protects you from being dismissed or victimised for raising a legitimate health and safety concern. This is known as "making a protected disclosure." You are protected if you reasonably believe the issue is in the public interest and shows a risk to health, safety, or the environment. The standard rule requiring two years of service to qualify for unfair dismissal protection does not apply in this case. Consequently, you are covered from your first day of employment.
Last reviewed: 15/03/2026
60 Second Solution
Step 1: Identify & Report Internally
Spot a hazard (e.g., faulty equipment, trip risks, unsafe practices). First, tell your manager or supervisor. If it’s serious, use your company’s official reporting system (forms, logbook, portal). Put it in writing to create a record.
Step 2: Know Your Rights
You are legally protected from dismissal or unfair treatment for raising a genuine safety concern. This is called "making a protected disclosure" under the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Step 3: Escalate if Needed
If your employer doesn’t act and risk remains:
- Use the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) website to report the issue.
- Call the HSE helpline.
- For immediate danger, remove yourself and contact the HSE or your union.
- If your industry isn't governed by HSE, contact Environmental Health through the local council
Step 4: What to Include
Be clear: date, location, description of the hazard, and why it’s dangerous. Photos help if safe.