Cookies and similar technology
A cookie is a small value a website asks your browser to store and return with later requests. It can support a function such as keeping you signed in. Cookies can be first-party, set by the site you are using, or associated with another service.
Local storage is another browser feature. It keeps a value on the device until removed or treated as expired by the website, rather than automatically sending it with every page request. Privacy rules can apply to both technologies; calling something “local storage” does not make it a tracking exemption.
Essential cookies
The staff portal uses a cookie named sid after successful staff sign-in. Its purpose is to recognise an authenticated session so protected pages do not require a fresh login for every action. It expires after 14 days and is cleared on sign-out.
The cookie is HTTP-only, meaning page scripts cannot read it, and is sent securely over HTTPS on the live site. It is not an analytics identifier or an advertising profile. Browsing the public information pages does not require a staff account or this cookie.
Information saved by our staff portal
This section applies to our team’s staff portal. Simply browsing our public website does not create these staff records.
The portal saves some information on the device our team uses. This helps them prepare quotes and record work when an internet connection is unavailable. It can include:
- Job notes and photos waiting to upload. These stay on the device until the office confirms receipt. Saved work has no automatic expiry and is kept separately for each staff account.
- Unfinished quotes. New quote drafts can be recovered for seven days. Saving a quote removes its draft; expired drafts may remain on the device until replaced or cleared.
- Preferences and files that help the portal work. These include favourite quote items, the last workspace used, the office phone number and files for loading the portal without a connection. Some last only while the browser tab is open; others stay until replaced or cleared.
These records support our work. They are not used for advertising or tracking.
For staff: signing out does not erase saved work. Use your own secured device or browser profile. Before clearing website data, check the Uploads screen and make sure all notes and photos have reached the office. If your device cannot save an entry, the portal warns you: keep the entry or photo open and contact the office.
Technical storage details
hine_field_work(IndexedDB): account-separated field updates and photo uploads. Records are saved before sending and removed after server acknowledgement. There is no fixed entry-count limit or timed expiry; the device’s available storage still applies. If storage fails, the entry is not reported as saved. Uploads stop at a failed record so later steps do not overtake it.hine_field_queue(legacy local storage): older saved work is retained for staff review and is not automatically uploaded under a new account.hine_quote_draft_*(local storage): new quote-draft recovery for seven days, with expired data potentially retained until replaced or cleared.hine_quote_recents,hine_quote_favs,hine.tab.*andhine_office_phone(local storage): preferences retained until replaced or cleared.hineAdminBackandfield_*(session storage): navigation and workflow state, normally for the tab session. Restoring a browser session may restore them.hine-portal-*(browser cache): portal pages, scripts, styles, fonts and images for offline loading. API responses are excluded. Older versions are removed when the replacement activates; the current cache remains until updated or cleared.
Your notice preference
Selecting “Accept cookies” saves hine_cookie_ack_v3 in this browser’s local storage for up to one year, so the information notice does not keep appearing. It contains only an expiry time, not your name, job details or browsing history, and is not sent to our server. A still-valid preference from our earlier notice is also recognised.
This action does not enable advertising or analytics; none are installed. The close button dismisses the notice on the current page without creating or changing a saved preference. Local storage is specific to a browser and device. Expired entries can remain until removed, because local storage does not delete itself on a timer.
You can reset this preference from “Your choice” below. Essential staff authentication is separate; to end a staff session, sign out.
Your choice
The public site has no analytics, advertising or social-media tracking cookies. There are no optional tracking categories to switch off. The staff session cookie is used only for the requested secure sign-in service.
“Accept cookies” remembers the information notice in this browser. It does not grant marketing permission. Closing the notice or pressing Escape leaves any existing preference unchanged and does not create a new one. You can continue using the public website without accepting the notice.
To remove your saved notice preference and show the notice again, use this control. Clearing website data in your browser also removes it.
How to manage cookies
Use your browser’s privacy or website-data settings to view or delete cookies and local storage for this website. On a shared device, sign out of the staff portal and close private pages when finished. Clearing the staff cookie removes that browser’s sign-in; clearing the notice preference makes the notice appear again.
Browser settings differ between Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and between phones and computers. Search the browser’s help for “website data” or “cookies”. Blocking essential cookies can prevent staff sign-in. If storage is blocked, public pages and enquiry forms remain available, but the notice may reappear on another page or visit. You can also close the notice with its close button.
Links to other services
WhatsApp, email and mobile links let you start a conversation using a service or app you choose. A payment link, where provided, opens the payment provider’s service. Those services can use their own cookies or device storage under their own notices.
We do not embed social-media tracking, external video players or analytics on the public pages. Following an external link is different from Hine setting an advertising cookie while you read this site. Check the destination’s privacy and cookie information if you want to understand its processing.
Cookies and connection records
A normal web request includes technical information needed to deliver the page, such as a network address and browser request details. Hosting and security services may handle that information to operate and protect the website. It is not the same thing as storing a marketing identifier on your device.
Our privacy notice explains purposes, access, retention and your information rights. Enquiry details, uploaded images and invoices are business records; they are not stored in the cookie-notice preference.
Questions and policy changes
This policy was updated on 6 October 2026 to reflect the website’s current sign-in cookie, notice preference and portal storage. If our use changes, the inventory and any required controls must be updated as well. A change of wording alone does not give permission for a new optional tracking purpose.
For questions about website storage, contact us by Email, WhatsApp or Mobile. Please describe the page, browser and device involved, without sending passwords, session-cookie values or private access links.