Our HSE May Update explores the focus area from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as they continue to visit workplaces across the UK for spot checks and inspections. We also provide a roundup of prosecutions from the previous month, highlighting the commonly identified issues for employers to avoid.

Asbestos – Know the dangers

Last month the HSE issued a number of fines due to the unsafe removal of asbestos. Their guidance includes:

  • An Introduction to asbestos safety
  • Duty to manage asbestos in buildings
  • A worker’s guide to asbestos safety
  • Asbestos essentials task sheet
  • Locations of asbestos and taking the right action
  • Licensable work with asbestos

Over £1.2m in fines and 4 workplace fatalities

The HSE issued fines of over £1.2m in April and reported 4 workplace fatalities, along with 2 suspended prison sentences.

The highest fine of £528,000 was issued to a housing company after an employee suffered burns to his face when repairing a fence and hit an underground electric cable. It was found that the company had failed to provide information on the location of either electric or gas pipes. They had also failed to provide the tools to safely work around them.

A manufacturing company received a large fine of £100,000 after a worker severed 3 of their fingers when using a table saw without a guard. The HSE stated that the company had not carried out suitable and sufficient risk assessments.

In another case, a haulage company was fined over £85,000 after a forklift truck overturned, trapping an employee who later died from his injuries. The HSE found that the employer had not put sufficient and safe systems of work in place. Further, they had not enforced the use of seatbelt which could have saved the employer’s life.

There were 2 cases in April regarding the unsafe removal of asbestos with one company being fined £30,000 and their director £5,000 and in another case where a company was fined £20,000 and the director given a 20 week suspended sentence for 12 months and a £75,000 fine. In both both of these cases, the HSE inspectors had found significant amounts of asbestos containing material and steps to contain it had been inadequate.

Following these events in our HSE Update April, employers should ask themselves:

  • Are all your risk assessments routinely reviewed?
  • Are they still suitable?
  • Are your employees up to date with all their training needs?

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