Latest news and prosecutions

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

Construction company issued fine after worker is paralysed in fall
A £40,000 fine was issued after a worker fell through the ceiling at a house renovation, leaving him paralysed.

School trust fined after pupil injured
They were fined £6,000 after a pupil’s finger was injured in an unsafe door hinge.

Company fined as worker fractures skull
The £80,000 fine was issued following an incident in which a worker was struck by a telehandler bucket on site.

Metal recycling firm fined £650,000 after routine HSE inspection
The fine was issued for failing to implement effective control measures to protect workers.

Residents put at risk of legionella as company fined £900,000
The housing association was fined following an outbreak of legionella at its sheltered housing accommodation.

Include work-related stress in your risk assessments

All employers are required by law to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health by doing a risk assessment and acting on it.

Support HSE’s Working Minds campaign which has advice and resources you’ll need to help prevent stress.

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