• Company failed to provide hot water and suitable rest facilities.
• Failures continued despite HSE taking action.
• Provision of suitable welfare facilities is legal requirement.

A West Midlands based construction company has been fined after Britain’s workplace regulator found repeated failures at four different construction sites across the region.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspection at Ling Developments Limited’s construction site at The Crest, Oldbury Park, Telford in April 2024 identified health and safety failings related to a lack of adequate welfare provision. This included the failure to provide hot or warm water in the toilets and a lack of suitable rest facilities for workers. The inspection resulted in two improvement notices being served, requiring the company to take action to comply with the law.

On three previous occasions, the company had been found to have breached the same legislation. An investigation, initiated by HSE, identified repeated failings by the company which, despite enforcement action and advice from HSE inspectors, continued to provide sub-standard facilities that contravened their legal duties.

Under The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, principal contractors have a duty to provide specific welfare facilities for construction sites. Washing facilities must include:

• A supply of clean hot and cold or warm water;
• Rest facilities must be equipped with an adequate number of tables and seating;
• Suitable arrangements to ensure meals can be prepared and eaten.

Further guidance can be found here: Welfare: Overview – HSE

Ling Developments Limited of Maypole House, Maypole Street, Wombourne, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 13 (4)(c) of The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £15,858 and ordered to pay £3,858 in costs at a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 13 April 2026.

HSE Inspector Natalie Spurrier said: “The provision of suitable welfare facilities such as hot running water and basic rest facilities are the minimum all workers should expect – they aren’t a luxury.

“Our investigation found that Ling Developments Limited failed in its duty to provide the minimum standard of welfare facilities at some of its construction sites.

“Failing to comply with legal obligations such as in cases like this, places workers at unnecessary risk.

“We expect these responsibilities to be taken seriously and HSE will continue to take action when standards fall short.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and supported by HSE paralegal officer Lynne Thomas.

Further information:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. Relevant guidance can be found here: Welfare: Overview.
5. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.

• Worker’s leg amputated after being struck by moving cargo during unloading.
• HSE investigation found unsafe system of work and unprotected gap in roller deck.
• Company failed to prevent employees intervening with stuck loads.

A flower supplier has been fined after an employee’s leg was amputated following a serious incident at its processing facility in Huntingdon.

Andy Hazelden was working for MM Flowers Limited, at its site in Alconbury Weald, on 4 February 2023 when he was injured while helping to manually unload cargo from a delivery trailer ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Cargo had become stuck on the trailer, and Mr Hazelden, along with two colleagues, attempted to free it. As part of this process, he stepped onto a roller deck where there was a gap.

Once the cargo was freed, a skid slid from the trailer onto the roller deck and struck his left leg, which had become trapped in the gap.

The 60-year-old sustained devastating injuries and later underwent a series of medical procedures, ultimately resulting in a through-knee amputation.

His injuries have been life-changing, leaving him reliant on a wheelchair and the care of his wife. He has also been unable to continue his much-loved pastime of riding motorcycles.

Mr Hazelden said:

“I was fully conscious whilst trapped on the roller deck following the accident… at one point I was genuinely terrified I was going to bleed out and die. I could hear blood hitting the warehouse floor.”

“Much of the time during my stay at hospital I felt helpless and undignified. I have pretty much had to learn to mobilise in a wheelchair and learn to walk again using prosthetic limbs. I feel my identity has changed.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that MM Flowers Limited failed to ensure employees were safe when unloading aircraft skids from delivery vehicles in the intake area.

Workers were required to physically intervene when skids became stuck, exposing them to risk from moving loads. The investigation also identified a 10cm gap in the roller deck that had not been recognised or addressed, creating a risk of employees stepping into it.

HSE guidance states that employers must put in place suitable arrangements to manage health and safety, including designing effective risk control systems and ensuring safe systems of work are followed in practice. Further guidance can be found here: Managing for health and safety.

MM Flowers Limited, of Enterprise Campus, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £134,000 and ordered to pay £4,908 in costs at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 10 April 2026.

HSE Inspector Tom Pouncey said:

“Health and safety law is there to ensure people can go home healthy from work, sadly a man has had the rest of his life severely impacted due to his employer failing to fulfil their duty.

“Serious incidents like this can occur when everyday work activities have not been properly assessed and unsafe practices are allowed to continue.

“In this case, employees were exposed to risk by being required to manually intervene with stuck loads, and by the presence of an unprotected gap where they were working.

“Had the company identified these risks and implemented a safe system of work, Mr Hazelden’s life-changing injury could have been prevented.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Rebecca Schwartz and paralegal officer Michael Millman.

Further information:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.

1. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
2. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
3. Relevant HSE guidance can be found here: Managing for health and safety
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.

Great Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety is inviting businesses, employers, health practitioners and industry stakeholders to help shape the future of workplace incident reporting in Great Britain.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today (Tuesday 7 April) launched a public consultation on The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).

The consultation marks a significant opportunity to update regulations that underpin how work-related injuries, ill health and dangerous occurrences are reported to the regulator. The proposals are designed both to strengthen protections for workers and to cut unnecessary administrative burden on businesses.

Businesses now have the opportunity to consult on proposals for both legislative and non-legislative changes.

On the legislative side, HSE is consulting on clarifying definitions within RIDDOR where existing terminology has been identified as unclear or ambiguous.

HSE is also proposing to revise both the list of dangerous occurrences, to better reflect modern workplace risks, and the list of reportable occupational diseases, reintroducing some conditions previously removed from the list and adding new ones to ensure serious instances of work-related ill health are properly captured.

A further proposal from the regulator would broaden who could formally diagnose a reportable occupational disease. Currently, diagnosis must be made by a doctor registered with and holding a licence to practise with the General Medical Council (GMC). HSE is proposing to extend this to other registered health practitioners, reflecting the wider range of professionals involved in occupational health.

On the non-legislative side, HSE is seeking views on simplifying the online RIDDOR reporting form to improve usability and tackle both under-reporting and over-reporting — a longstanding challenge for the regulator and for businesses alike.

Rachael Radway, Deputy Director of Regulation at the Health and Safety Executive, said: “RIDDOR reporting is central to how we identify emerging risk, target regulatory activity and contribute to the evidence base for workplace health and safety. This consultation allows those who will be affected by the changes to have their say as we look to improve standards and reduce the burden on business.

“The consultation is relevant across all sectors and industries. Duty holders, self-employed workers and those in control of work premises are particularly encouraged to respond. We are also encouraging healthcare practitioners involved in diagnosing and managing work-related conditions to engage as the proposed changes may impact their ways of working in the future.”

The consultation closes on 30 June 2026. The full consultation document — including detailed proposals, background information and guidance on how to submit a response — is available on the HSE website at https://consultations.hse.gov.uk/hse/proposals-riddor-2013/

• Worker fell through unprotected stairwell opening during construction of an apartment block.
• HSE investigation found work at height was not properly planned or controlled.
• Company and director sentenced after allowing unsafe working practices.

A Staffordshire-based construction company and its director have been sentenced after a worker sustained serious injuries when he fell through a stairwell opening during the construction of an apartment block in Staffordshire.

The injured worker, who was 26 at the time of the incident, had been appointed by BHG (Stone) Limited, the principal contractor, as a labourer. On 5 December 2023, he was assisting with the installation of wall insulation on the first floor of the building.

To reach the top corner of the wall, the worker placed a ladder across the stairwell opening. While carrying out the task, he fell from the ladder through the opening to the ground below.

The fall resulted in serious injuries, including fractures to his skull and back.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that BHG (Stone) Limited failed to properly plan the work and did not put in place suitable measures to prevent or protect against a fall from height.

The investigation also found that company director Alistair Howells was working in close proximity to the injured worker and had allowed the work to be carried out in an unsafe manner.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require work at height to be properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner. HSE guidance highlights the importance of using suitable work equipment and implementing effective control measures to prevent falls.

BHG (Stone) Limited, of Michaelmas Barn, Aston Lane, Aston-by-Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0BW, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay £4,000 in costs at Telford Magistrates Court on 1 April 2026.

Alistair Howells, 58, of Michaelmas Barn, Aston Lane, Aston-by-Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0BW, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £1,386 in costs at Telford Magistrates Court on 1 April 2026.

HSE Inspector Sara Andrews said:

“This incident highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough assessment of the risks associated with all work at height activities and ensuring suitable control measures are in place.

“Had the work been properly planned and sequenced, and suitable work equipment provided, this incident would not have happened.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.

Further information:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. Guidance on working at height can be found here: Work at height – HSE
5. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in England can be found here and those for Scotland here.

– Bassetlaw District Council has been fined £50,000 after an employee was seriously injured when a ride-on lawnmower overturned

– HSE found the council had failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment

– The Judge found the council to be highly culpable, having fallen far short of expected industry standards

A Nottinghamshire district council has been fined £50,000 following a serious incident in which a ride-on mower overturned at a churchyard, causing an employee to fall more than two metres onto a public road and footpath below.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident at St Peter & St Paul’s Church in North Wheatley, Nottinghamshire, where an employee of Bassetlaw District Council was carrying out routine maintenance in the closed graveyard.

While operating a ride-on mower, the employee lost control of the machine as it slid down a steep bank towards a retaining wall. Both the machine and the operative rolled over the wall, falling approximately 2.3 metres to the pavement and road below. The employee sustained injuries including cracked ribs.

The HSE investigation identified a series of significant failings by the council:

– Bassetlaw District Council had not carried out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks posed to employees by operating ride-on mowers on banks and slopes.

– The council had not provided adequate information, instruction or training to employees regarding the use of such machinery near slopes and banks.

– No measures were in place at the retaining wall to prevent a fall from height liable to cause personal injury.

A Guidance Document for the Landscape Industry published by the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) sets out clearly the measures employers should take to assess and control risks when working on or near slopes and banks. The Judge found that Bassetlaw District Council had failed to meet these industry standards and was therefore highly culpable, having fallen far short of what was expected.

Bassetlaw District Council, of Queen’s Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 2AH, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The council was fined £50,000, ordered to pay £5,138.85 in costs and a victim surcharge of £2,000 at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday 30 March 2026.

HSE Inspector Muir Finlay said: “This was a serious incident which could have been much worse.

“The fine imposed on the District Council should underline to all employers that work on banks and slopes should only be undertaken when a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks has been carried out and appropriate controls or training provided.

“HSE will not hesitate to take action against those that do not do all that they should to keep people safe and healthy at work.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Andrew Siddall and paralegal officer Benjamin Stobbart.

Further Information

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people & places and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases are available.
4. Guidance can be found here: A Guidance Document for the Landscape Industry
5. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in England can be found here and those for Scotland here.