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Essential updates and guidance to support safer, compliant UK workplaces.
Stay up to date with the latest UK health, safety, and compliance news, bringing you clear, practical updates that matter to your business. Our regularly updated articles cover key changes to legislation, HSE guidance, and industry standards across construction, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, agriculture, and more. From regulatory updates and enforcement trends to emerging workplace risks, we break down complex information into easy-to-understand insights to help you stay compliant and informed.
Alongside the latest news, we share expert guidance and best practices to support safer workplaces and stronger compliance. Our content focuses on real-world application, offering actionable advice on topics such as risk assessments, accident prevention, staff training, and safety management systems. Whether you’re a business owner, safety professional, or site supervisor, this page helps you keep pace with UK health and safety requirements while continuously improving your organisation’s safety culture.
Man handed suspended sentence for illegal gas work that risked carbon monoxide leak
A man received a ten‑month prison sentence, suspended for twelve months, after illegally replacing a boiler—an act that risked carbon‑monoxide leakage. The work took place in February 2023 at Balston Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. David McCallum, 58, of McCallum Plumbing & Heating, was prosecuted when the installed flue was deemed “immediately dangerous”. He was ordered to pay £3,907 compensation and £7,064 costs by Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 13 February 2026. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require anyone undertaking gas work to be registered with the Gas Safe Register and to hold the relevant qualifications. McCallum pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(3), 27(1) and 27(5). He was also placed under a six‑month electronic monitoring order restricting his movements over weekends. The homeowners noticed problems with the boiler shortly after installation and, concerned for safety, hired an independent gas engineer who deemed the work ‘immediately dangerous’. The incident was reported to HSE, leading to their investigation. HSE’s investigation found that the boiler flue was not sealed or correctly positioned, creating an immediate risk of carbon monoxide entering the home. The work was carried out without any Gas Safe registration. HSE inspector Simon Jones said: “David McCallum undertook gas work which he knew he was not registered to do
Man handed suspended sentence for illegal gas work that risked carbon monoxide leak
A man received a ten‑month prison sentence, suspended for twelve months, after illegally replacing a boiler—an act that risked carbon‑monoxide leakage. The work took place in February 2023 at Balston Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. David McCallum, 58, of McCallum Plumbing & Heating, was prosecuted when the installed flue was deemed “immediately dangerous”. He was ordered to pay £3,907 compensation and £7,064 costs by Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 13 February 2026. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require anyone undertaking gas work to be registered with the Gas Safe Register and to hold the relevant qualifications. McCallum pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(3), 27(1) and 27(5). He was also placed under a six‑month electronic monitoring order restricting his movements over weekends. The homeowners noticed problems with the boiler shortly after installation and, concerned for safety, hired an independent gas engineer who deemed the work ‘immediately dangerous’. The incident was reported to HSE, leading to their investigation. HSE’s investigation found that the boiler flue was not sealed or correctly positioned, creating an immediate risk of carbon monoxide entering the home. The work was carried out without any Gas Safe registration. HSE inspector Simon Jones said: “David McCallum undertook gas work which he knew he was not registered to do
Construction company fined after serious fall during refurbishment – work at height
A worker suffered multiple serious injuries after a work‑at‑height incident, falling from a stepladder on 5 August 2021 during renovation works in Islington for Bow Tie Construction Limited. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £24,000 plus £4,101 costs by Southwark Crown Court on 13 February 2026. Working at height is a major cause of workplace injury in the UK. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers must provide safe systems, edge protection and supervision for any work above ground level. The HSE investigation identified that Bow Tie Construction failed to implement a safe system of work for working at height during the staircase construction. Wider failings were recorded, including inadequate edge protection, incorrectly assembled tower scaffolds, staircases without edge protection and uncontrolled use of ladders. These deficiencies persisted despite an earlier HSE visit on 2 July 2021 that resulted in a Prohibition Notice for unsafe work at height. HSE Inspector Emma Bitz said: “The risks associated with working at height are well known, and this incident could have easily been prevented. Employers must ensure suitable control measures are in place, safe working practices are followed, and workers are provided with appropriate
Chemical burn incident at Flowchem UK Ltd leads to £50,000 fine
On 2 November 2023 a chemical burn incident occurred when an agency worker, Marzanna Sokolowska, was doused in corrosive sink‑and‑drain un‑blocker liquid at Flowchem UK Ltd’s Nottingham manufacturing site. The spray hit her face, eyes, neck and arm after she accidentally opened the wrong valve on a 1,000 litre container that had no end cap fitted. The incident resulted in severe chemical burns, a £50,000 fine, £7,247.40 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge imposed by Nottingham Magistrates Court on 12 February 2026. Flowchem UK Ltd manufactures household cleaning products and operates from Mark Street, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5AD. The worker was part of a team decanting bulk liquid into smaller containers at shoulder height when the valve error occurred. The company’s system of work exposed employees and agency workers to high‑risk chemicals without adequate safeguards. The HSE investigation identified several failures: inadequate training, especially for staff with limited English; personal protective equipment (PPE) was provided but routinely not worn; supervision and monitoring of PPE use were insufficient; eye‑wash bottles were present but first‑aid provisions lacked a dedicated shower. The company also failed to act on previous near‑misses involving the same work area. Inspector Angus Robbins said: “”The systems of work employed by Flowchem unnecessarily exposed
Chemical burn incident at Flowchem UK Ltd leads to £50,000 fine
On 2 November 2023 a chemical burn incident occurred when an agency worker, Marzanna Sokolowska, was doused in corrosive sink‑and‑drain un‑blocker liquid at Flowchem UK Ltd’s Nottingham manufacturing site. The spray hit her face, eyes, neck and arm after she accidentally opened the wrong valve on a 1,000 litre container that had no end cap fitted. The incident resulted in severe chemical burns, a £50,000 fine, £7,247.40 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge imposed by Nottingham Magistrates Court on 12 February 2026. Flowchem UK Ltd manufactures household cleaning products and operates from Mark Street, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5AD. The worker was part of a team decanting bulk liquid into smaller containers at shoulder height when the valve error occurred. The company’s system of work exposed employees and agency workers to high‑risk chemicals without adequate safeguards. The HSE investigation identified several failures: inadequate training, especially for staff with limited English; personal protective equipment (PPE) was provided but routinely not worn; supervision and monitoring of PPE use were insufficient; eye‑wash bottles were present but first‑aid provisions lacked a dedicated shower. The company also failed to act on previous near‑misses involving the same work area. Inspector Angus Robbins said: “”The systems of work employed by Flowchem unnecessarily exposed
Free Risk Assessment and COSHH Assessment Generators: Create Compliant Documents in Minutes
Every UK employer has a legal duty to conduct risk assessments under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. If your workplace uses hazardous substances, you also need COSHH assessments under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. But creating these documents from scratch takes hours — and getting them wrong can mean HSE enforcement action, unlimited fines, or worse. That’s why we built the free risk assessment generator and free COSHH assessment generator at Health & Safety Zone. Professional, HSE-compliant documents in minutes — not hours. Over 200 templates covering every industry. Completely free. Why Use an Online Risk Assessment Generator? Traditional risk assessment templates are blank forms. You start with empty fields and have to research every hazard, control measure, and regulatory reference yourself. Our risk assessment generator is different. It’s a fully interactive online tool that builds your document step by step — with pre-populated hazards, defined control measures, and automatic risk calculations already in place. Here’s what makes our risk assessment template generator stand out: 100+ Pre-Built Risk Assessment Templates Whether you need a construction risk assessment, manual handling risk assessment, fire risk assessment, or working at height risk assessment, we