Mar 2026
Legal Newsletter March 2026
Key Topic of the Month: Occupation Health - We will be issuing an in-depth Occupational Health update, with recommendations, next week.
Welcome Message
Welcome to March's Health & Safety newsletter. Each edition will bring you key topics, incident trends, legislation updates, guidance, updates and case law.
Do you have anything specific you would like to find out more about - please let us know!
If you need support or practice guidance on implementing any of the topics below, keeping your place of work safe then our team at HSE Advisor Ltd is always here to help.
Email us at: info@hseadvisor.co.uk
Key Topic of the Month
Occupation Health
We will be issuing an in-depth Occupational Health update, with recommendations, next week.
Occupational health continues to take centre stage in the UK regulatory landscape, with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) placing renewed emphasis on health‑related risks, proactive prevention and long‑term workforce wellbeing. We have seen in recent weeks the HSE issuing notices even when controls for risks are in place.
HSE’s Health‑Focused Inspection Priorities
The HSE has signalled a major shift towards occupational hygiene and long‑term health management, prioritising proactive inspections across several key risk areas. These include:
Hazardous Substances – heightened scrutiny of asbestos, respirable crystalline silica, bakery dust, isocyanates, noise and radiation controls.
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) – examination of employers’ ergonomic arrangements and processes to prevent cumulative strain injuries.
Work‑Related Stress & Aggression – assessment of psychosocial risk controls aimed at reducing exposure to stressors, violence and aggression at work.
Health Surveillance Standards – checks on the quality and legal compliance of occupational health surveillance and external consultancy providers.
Legionella Prevention – verification that duty holders maintain and follow appropriate water‑safety and Legionella control arrangements.
These priorities reflect the HSE’s ongoing commitment to addressing long‑term and systemic health risks rather than focusing solely on acute safety issues
Emerging Legislative Context Affecting Occupational Health
Several legislative changes intersect with occupational health responsibilities:
Employment Rights Act 2025–2026
From 2026, employers will face enhanced obligations relating to:
Stronger harassment prevention duties.
Day‑one sick pay rights (likely increasing minor illness reporting).
Expanded whistleblowing protections.
These changes directly impact HR processes, wellbeing systems, and incident reporting functions
What Employers Should Be Doing Now
To stay compliant and protect workforce health, organisations should:
Review and update COSHH assessments, particularly around airborne contaminants and carcinogens.
Implement or strengthen health surveillance programmes—ensuring they meet legal quality standards.
Prioritise mental health controls, including workload reviews, role clarity and training for managers.
Audit water systems for Legionella compliance, with documented monitoring in place.
Enhance ergonomics and MSD‑prevention measures, especially for hybrid and remote workers.
Ensure proactive reporting mechanisms are functional and accessible, especially around stress and harassment.
Incident Trend Spotlight
This month we’ve seen increased queries around:
Site Inspection requirements from your clients
COSHH Improvement notices
PQQ and Tender assistance
If your organisation would like support with any of these areas, we can schedule an on‑site or virtual meeting.
Legislation Changes
Employment Rights Act 2025
The Employment Rights Act 2025 contains important changes affecting employment relationships. Amongst these is one which is a health and safety matter: the Act requires employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.
Factsheet: Employment Rights Act 2025 – Overview
If you need additional support reach out to our HR team: sally.moore@hseadvisor.co.uk
HSE News
Home workers must be protected like any other employee
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reminded employers that health and safety duties apply equally to home, hybrid, and office‑based workers. With 38% of the Great Britain workforce now working remotely or hybrid, employers must ensure appropriate risk management for all staff.
Key Areas Employers Must Address
Stress & Mental Health: Maintain regular contact, monitor workloads and training needs, and ensure staff aren’t pressured to work outside normal hours.
Display Screen Equipment (DSE): Support safe workstation setups and encourage staff to visually check equipment for damage or hazards.
Working Environment: Discuss safety in the home workspace, ensure areas are free of hazards, and confirm staff know what to do in an emergency. Employers do not need to visit homes.
What Employers Should Know
These responsibilities are a legal duty, and HSE provides free guidance to help organisations meet their obligations and complete home‑working risk assessments
How HSE Advisor Ltd Can Support You with Home Workers
We help organisations of all sizes to:
Develop and review home‑working risk assessments
Provide DSE assessments tailored for remote work setups
Create policies that align with the latest HSE expectations
Guidance and Updates
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in Schools
The House of Commons Education Committee has released its report “Foundations of Learning: Replacing RAAC and Securing School Buildings.” The findings highlight ongoing concerns that ageing school estates — particularly those containing RAAC — continue to pose significant structural and safety risks. The report stresses the need for long‑term investment and clear timelines to ensure school buildings remain safe and fit for purpose.
Sprinkler Systems in Schools
New analysis from the National Fire Sprinkler Network demonstrates that installing sprinklers in school buildings can significantly reduce damage, disruption, and associated financial losses following a fire. The data reinforces long‑standing calls for sprinklers to become a standard requirement in all new and refurbished schools.
Read more here: What is the cost of Fires in Schools?
Construction Products – Proposed Certification Reform
A new government consultation proposes a strengthened safety regime for construction products. Key reforms include:
Mandatory safety requirements for all construction products
Improved transparency and availability of product information
A licensing system for testing and certification bodies
Stakeholders can submit responses until 20 May 2026.
Read more here: Certification Consultation
Fire Safety in Construction – PAS 9970 Consultation
The BSI is seeking feedback on revised drafts of PAS 9970 Parts 1 and 2, covering fire safety in construction phases. The updates aim to enhance clarity around risk management, competence expectations, and safe working practices. Consultation closes 18 March 2026.
Read more here: Fire Safety Consultation
Safeguarding in Education – Statutory Guidance Update
The Department for Education is inviting views on proposed changes to the statutory guidance “Keeping Children Safe in Education.” The consultation focuses on strengthening safeguarding practices across schools, academies, and further education settings.
Read more here: Safeguarding Consultation
Building Safety Regulator Becomes a Standalone Body
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has now become fully independent, transitioning away from the HSE. This move represents a key milestone toward creating a unified construction regulator — a major recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Read more here: Building Safety Regulator
On‑Tool Extraction – New HSE Training Video
The HSE has released a short, practical training video demonstrating correct use of on‑tool extraction systems during welding activities. The video highlights how effective local exhaust ventilation can dramatically reduce exposure to harmful fumes.
New “Class L” Fire Category for Lithium‑ion Batteries
BS ISO 3941:2026 introduces Class L, a newly defined fire classification for incidents involving lithium‑ion batteries. This update reflects the unique combustion behaviour of battery fires and aims to support improved emergency response and fire protection strategies.
Read more here: Class L Lithium-ion batteries
Updated NFCC Guidance for Battery Storage Sites
New guidelines have been issued for fire and rescue services handling grid‑scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), addressing response tactics and emerging risks.
Health Care Fire Safety – HTM 05-01 Updated
The NHS has revised HTM 05‑01: Managing Healthcare Fire Safety. Updates include improved guidance on:
Competency expectations
Roles and responsibilities for advisors and engineers
Alignment with current legislation
Read more here: Health Care Fire Safety
Major Incident & Prosecution Summaries
(Safety Alerts)
Roof of Battersea Tower Block Destroyed by Fire
A fire investigation found inadequate fire separation in a roof void allowed a blaze to rapidly spread, causing significant structural destruction.
Excavator Bucket Misuse Leads to Serious Injuries
Two workers used a digger bucket to prop open a tipper truck, resulting in the bucket detaching and crushing one worker. The company was fined £10,000.
Manufacturer fined £50,000 over two accidents
Exwold Technology Limited has appeared in court over separate accidents involving a fork lift truck and a rotary valve. Two employees were badly injured in the accidents in 2021, which happened less than three months apart.
Hand‑Arm Vibration Failings
Drury Engineering Services Ltd, a metal fabrication company, has been fined for exposing multiple employees to vibration risks. Employees used vibrating hand tools but for many years there were no controls to prevent vibration injury.
Entangled in machine
A manufacturer has been fined after an employee was killed when he was pulled in to a lathe whilst cleaning it. The experienced employee had been using emery cloth, held in his hand to clean rotating parts of a lathe – a practice banned by HSE guidance.
Somers Forge Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1), Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £750,000 plus costs of £38,314
Roll-over protection could have saved a life
A fatal accident in 2021 could have been far less serious if the ride-on mower in use, been fitted with roll-over protection. There was no site specific risk assessment for the work near a pond and this contributed to the mistakes made.
Ladder fall
A construction company has been fined after a worker sustained serious injuries when he fell from a ladder. The work being undertaken required both hands and was above the height that the step ladder was suited for. When investigating the accident, inspectors found various unsafe work at height situations despite a Prohibition Notice having been served for the same issues only one month prior.
Burned by chemical
A manufacturer has been prosecuted after a worker was drenched in a corrosive substance whilst trying to dispense it into smaller containers. Unnecessary risks were being taken by positioning the bulk containers at shoulder height.
Killed by toxins in flooring adhesive
The maintenance arm of a housing association has been fined £400,000 after an employee died from toxic vapours whilst sticking down flooring in a small room.
The adhesive contained Dichloromethane (DCM) and the room was poorly ventilated.
In court, Connect Property Services pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1), Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The firm was ordered to pay costs of £9676 in addition to the fine.
Racking collapse
Two companies have been fined following a double fatality.
Lee Horton and Daron Pickstock were killed when their mobile elevating work platform was tipped over when racking which was being loaded with test weights, collapsed.
Space Productiv Ltd was prosecuted despite its own managing director being killed in the accident. It pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1), Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA)and was fined £97,500 plus costs of £17,377.
Collins Site Services Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of HSWA and was fined £60,000 plus costs of £10,292.
Fatal fall during demolition works
Jason Hill, a self‑employed contractor, has been handed a custodial sentence after hiring inexperienced workers to help in demolishing a garage and failing to manage work at height risks. One of the men was killed when he fell to the ground.
In court, Jason Hill pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(2), Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Fire risk in accommodation
Two companies and one individual have been prosecuted over fire safety breaches in Coventry. Qudhrat Community Interest Company was fined £120,000, New Enterprise Ltd, £56,000 and an individual manager was handed a suspended prison sentence.
Killed in residential fire
Mount Green Housing Association has been fined £120,636 after its mistakes led to the death of a resident who was overcome by heat and smoke in a corridor whilst trying to escape a burning building. A fire risk assessment completed a few years before the tragedy identified a number of improvements that had not been implemented.
Company fined £183,000 for gutter cleaning fatality
Ipsum Drainage Limited has been prosecuted in connection with a worker’s fall through a fragile roof. There was a lack of training, equipment and information about the task.
Online Training Portal
We offer a range of eLearning on our HSE Advisor online training portal including bundles!
Course Bundle example:
The prices you see advertised will be discounted if you request them via info@hseadvisor.co.uk
Thank you for taking the time to read this month’s update.
If you need support with policies, training, audits, risk assessments, or anything else please get in touch with HSE Advisor Ltd.
Stay safe,
The HSE Advisor Ltd Team