That is the warning from Prospect on behalf of 1,750 HSE inspectors, scientists and other professionals.

Prospect and PCS members will protest outside the Executive’s Rose Court headquarters in London between 9—9.30am on Tuesday July 17 to express their opposition to the relocation as Health and Safety Commissioners meet to discuss the plans.

Under the proposals the majority of non-operational functions will move from Rose Court to a single headquarters building in Redgrave Court, Bootle, although field operational staff will remain at Rose Court until 2013.

Prospect negotiations officer Mike MacDonald said: "Many experienced staff faced with the option of uprooting families and leaving their homes will view redundancy as a preferable option, draining HSE of its body of expertise.

"HSE is unique in that it has its own policy section, staffed by a workforce with a detailed knowledge of what the Executive does – many are former field inspectors – rather than relying on generic advice from its parent government department.

"Isolating the policy division from ministers and Whitehall will also marginalise its influence and risks creating a parochial service."

The unions argue that HSE has already admitted that the move will not realise the all the benefits it is seeking but have yet to develop a ‘benefits realisation strategy’ to say how this can be achieved.

Prospect, said MacDonald, accepts there is a case for change and would back any measures that enabled HSE to use its resources more efficiently. "But the outline business case under discussion is poorly thought out."

Neil Hope-Collins, Prospect’s HSE branch chair said: "The Executive is pushing forward with a radical relocation before it has fully assessed the impact of government funding cutbacks which have already lead to the loss of up to 350 jobs or the further drive to find 15% cost savings over the next three years.

Prospect is calling for HSE to rethink the proposals and discuss other means to make the HSE more efficient.