Latest news and prosecutions

This ebulletin contains a selection of HSE’s recent prosecution notices:

Packaging company fined £433,000 after worker suffers life-changing head injuries
The worker suffered a severe skull fracture and permanent injuries when a 4.5-ton machine fell on him.

Police Constabulary prosecuted for failing to protect officers
A £60,000 fine was issued after 4 officers suffered burn injuries during a riot training exercise.

NHS Trust fined £40,000 after it failed to manage hand-arm vibration risks
The fine was issued after several workers were diagnosed with injuries following prolonged exposure to vibration from work equipment.

Landlord fined £20,000 after member of the public falls from staircase
A rotten and weakened staircase resulted in a handrail collapsing when a member of the public leaned against it and fell over 10 feet.

Director and company fined after failing to comply with enforcement notices
The fines were issued for failing to comply with multiple enforcement notices and not suitably planning, managing and monitoring construction work.

Engineering firm fined £27,200 after endangering workers
An inspection found poor control of metalworking fluids, with workers being put at risk of ill-health.

Council fined £80,000 after pedestrian struck by collapsing lamppost
A member of the public spent 7 weeks in hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries in the incident.

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29 January, 3pm to 4pm.

At our free webinar ‘Work-related stress: a proactive approach to risk management’, you’ll hear from HSE and partners about:

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The webinar will conclude with a live audience Q&A.

Call for Safety Focus as Solar Panel Fire Numbers Increase

A renewed emphasis on installation quality, regular maintenance and system inspections is being called for as the number of solar panel fire incidents continues to climb alongside the rapid expansion of renewable energy technology. Fire and safety specialists say that while solar power remains a safe and effective energy source, poorly installed equipment, faulty components

Safety notice: GEC VMX High Voltage Switchgear

HSE has published a safety notice following the failure of a GEC VMX high voltage vacuum circuit breaker, which resulted in electrical arcing and fire within a substation. HSE’s investigation identified partial discharge activity as the most likely cause, with previous warning signs having been detected but not acted upon. The notice applies to GEC

Company and director prosecuted after worker injury

A company and its director have been prosecuted after a worker suffered life-changing injuries during the dismantling of a steel frame structure in Surrey. The incident occurred when a steel beam weighing more than 100kg fell after a ratchet strap, not designed for lifting operations, failed. [press.hse.gov.uk], [hse-network.com] The worker sustained multiple fractures to the

Network Rail fined £1.2m over wall collapse

Network Rail has been fined £1.2 million after a boundary wall at Rugby railway station collapsed and seriously injured 81-year-old Edward Hanlon in September 2022. Investigators found the wall had been omitted from inspection records after boundary changes were incorrectly documented, meaning its deteriorating condition went unnoticed. [orr.gov.uk], [yahoo.com] The incident left Mr Hanlon with