Health and Safety bulletin – December 2025

Welcome to this month's health and safety update, keeping you updated with a round-up of the latest fines, sentences, and environmental news. 

Fines and penalties 

Hospital Trust and Manager convicted after failing to ensure patient safety

The tragic death in July 2015 of Alice Figueiredo, a 22-year-old patient at a mental health unit in Goodmayes Hospital, has highlighted lessons for improving the safety of patients.   

Droplight window incident results in £1m fine for Great Western Railway

In 2018, Bethan Roper tragically suffered a fatal head injury when she put her head outside of a droplight window of a moving train and was struck by a tree branch. 

Fatal jet hose accident results in £800k fine

A father of three died on 27 December 2022 following an accident at work involving a jet hose that exploded and hit the 51-year-old in the head.  

Roof collapses and injures three workers

A 70-year-old builder was fined and given a suspended sentence following the collapse of a roof which injured three workers. 

Man crushed to death and company fined £1.5m

In 2019, Justin Day was working at Tata Steel's Port Talbot steelworks plant and was called out to resolve an issue with a large conveyor system. 

Reversing HGV kills worker resulting in £1m fine

Mr Warburton was making a delivery in Manchester for Bestway Northern Limited, a wholesale supplier and was acting as banksman for his colleague who was reversing the HGV. Sadly, whilst directing the vehicle, Mr Warburton was crushed between the HGV and a wall. 

Multi-agency collaboration results in fine for ignoring fire safety

Glovers Court Ltd was undertaking a redevelopment project of a former warehouse when Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) inspected the project and identified a number of fire safety issues. 

Blatant disregard of fire safety leaves bar with £160k fine

Showtime Sports Bar in Huddersfield was issued with an enforcement notice as inspections identified a number of fire hazards. 

Second day at work ends in tragedy as roofer falls to death through skylight

Four workers were installing over-cladding to a large industrial unit in Walsall. One of the workers fell through a glass-wire skylight onto the concrete floor, some 23-feet below. 

Cast iron pipe injures 5-year-old during work on house extension

Building work was being carried out on a house extension in Totton, when a loose pipe fell hitting a child below.   

Not guilty verdict for couple following death of gardener

Paul Marsden was working as a gardener for Mr and Mrs Prest. Tragically, he suffered a fatal accident after the quad bike he had been using to spray weedkiller on their fields crushed and asphyxiated him.  

Food safety

Hospital stay for 7 year old after restaurant's failure to ensure meal was gluten-free

A 7-year-old child suffered a severe allergic reaction after a visit to a former jungle themed restaurant, Rainforest Café on Shaftesbury Avenue.   

Fine for Asda for displaying out-of-date food for sale

Inspections at an Asda store in Merseyside resulted in a prosecution after they found out-of-date products on display on its shelves.  

Couple prosecuted for hazardous takeaway conditions

Environmental Health officers visited a takeaway in Newcastle, Jesmond Tandoori, three times in 2024.

Environmental

Farmer fined £89k for illegal waste dump

Martin Harvey, a 64-year-old from St Newlyn East, was recently prosecuted in Truro Crown Court for operating an illegal waste site including hazardous materials such as asbestos. 

Consultations / Statistics / Guidance

HSE Launches Call for Evidence: Reviewing LOLER and PSSR for Modernisation and Clarity   

On 1 October 2025, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced a Call for Evidence to review the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR). 

Work place fatalities - HSE Report 2025

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual statistics on work-related fatalities for the period April 2024 to March 2025, revealing that 124 workers lost their lives in workplace incidents across Great Britain. 

HSE Consultation: Proposed Reforms to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012

The HSE has launched a consultation on proposed reforms to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012), aiming to strengthen the management of asbestos risks in workplaces.