The investigation into last month’s incident at Coney Beach Amusement Park continues, with the ride in question now being inspected by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) experts at its laboratory in Buxton.
Several children were injured in the incident involving the Wacky Worm ride at the venue in Porthcawl, South Wales at around 5.30pm on Wednesday 13 August. No one was seriously hurt but a number of people required hospital treatment.
HSE issued a Notice to Leave Undisturbed on the Wacky Worm ride, in the immediate aftermath, to allow the ride to be inspected as it was at the time of the incident. In addition, a prohibition notice was issued on the ride, which means in the future the ride would need to be repaired and checked by an independent and competent person before being put back in service.
Other rides at the park were inspected and one nearby ride, the Mini Jet Ride, was also issued with a prohibition notice, but has been subsequently repaired after safety issues were found.
Simon Chilcott, principal inspector at HSE, said: “While the school summer holidays are now over, it is completely understandable that many people continue to feel the impact of what happened in Porthcawl last month.
“We’ve worked very closely with the police and taken swift action to preserve evidence and keep people safe. Witness accounts have been shared with us, as well as footage taken on the day of the incident, and these will be used to inform our investigation.
“The investigation is likely to take some time, but once it is complete, a decision will be made on what further action should be taken.”
Update on investigation into incident at Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show
The investigation into last month’s incident involving a fairground ride at the Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show continues.
An 18-year-old woman was injured on the evening of Saturday 26 July 2025 during the event in Hampshire. She was taken to hospital and sustained serious injuries.
HSE inspectors and amusement device specialists have visited the site as part of the ongoing probe and are now appealing for images from festivalgoers.
The ride involved in this incident was a ‘Showtime’ funhouse featuring free rollers on the upper level.
HSE principal inspector Nicola Pinckney said: “We are thoroughly investigating this serious incident to establish whether there have been any breaches of health and safety law.
“We are appealing for anyone who may have photographs or videos which cover the upper left-hand side level of the Showtime funhouse that was at the Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show, specifically in the free rollers area, taken between 6pm and 10:25pm on Saturday 26 July to contact us. This material could assist our investigation.
“Once our investigation is complete, a decision will then be made on what further action will be taken.”
Anyone with photographic footage from the specified area and time period is asked to email HSE at Basingstoke.Admin@hse.gov.uk identifying in the email the location of the footage they hold and the time the footage was taken.
Further information:
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.
Fine for chemical company after worker suffers burns
Worker suffered burns from a steam hose.
HSE investigation found steam hose wasn’t safe.
Company had no understanding of risks involved.
A chemical company has been fined £100,000 after one of its workers was permanently scarred from burns from a steam hose at a site in Motherwell.
A 23-year-old was burnt across his back and other areas of his body as he attempted to clean a process water tank on 23 October 2019. At the time he had been working for Dundas Chemical Company (Mosspark) Limited at its site at Omoa Works in Newarthill for around two years.
The company operates a large rendering plant that processes animal waste and food industry waste to produce proteins, fats and oils used in the oleo chemical, fuel, and feed industries. As a result of this process, the water tank and vickery would need occasional cleaning. The process water tank is shown in the image below:
It was during a nightshift that the man had been instructed to undertake cleaning duties on the process water tank, the vickery and the walls and floors in that area. The company provided pressure washers as well as a steam hose for cleaning down difficult areas where there may be tallow or other animal residues.
The steam hose was heavy and cumbersome to manoeuvre, with the uninsulated nozzle also becoming hot.. The man and a colleague therefore took it in turns to carry out the steam hose task.
After a period of time they stopped to have a break. While his colleague then went on to carry out other duties, the 23-year-old proceeded to finish the cleaning on his own.
He did this with the aid of a small cherry picker – attaching the steam hose to its basket. After the basket had been raised to the required height, the steam hose and nozzle spun round and steam began flowing into the cherry picker basket directly at him. He quickly turned his back to prevent his face being burned, while manipulating the nozzle of the hose away from him and lowering the basket of the cherry picker, at which point he was then able to run through to one of the deluge showers to cool his burn injuries. He was taken to hospital with steam burns to several parts of his body, which have left scars to this day.
The vickery at the site
An investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the nozzle fitted to the steam hose was unsafe as it did not have a trigger or other mechanism fitted to allow the operator to start or stop the flow out of the nozzle at the point of operation. It also found that the mixing valve and set-up for supplying hot water for cleaning purposes was not maintained in an efficient working order or in good repair. Supervisors at the site were aware that the mixing valve was passing steam, however no action was taken to investigate the issue or prevent it from happening.
HSE inspectors also found the maintenance and engineering team had no sound engineering understanding of the risks involved when setting up such a washdown system and how to mitigate or control those risks. The company provided information to HSE that there were no records associated with the maintenance of the valve, hose or nozzle.
Dundas Chemical Company (Mosspark) Limited, of Mosspark, Brasswell, Dumfries, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £100,000 at Hamilton Sheriff Court on 18 August 2025.
HSE inspector Ashley Fallis said: “Had a safe system of work been in place then this incident would not have happened.
“The lack of appropriate risk assessment, method statements, training and supervision for both the maintenance team who installed the valve, and the operators tasked with using the system, led to a situation where those involved were unaware of risks or simple control measures.
“This catalogue of failures resulted in a young man sustaining very serious burns, to which he still bears the scars to this day.
“We will not hesitate to take action against companies that fail to protect their employees.”
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Public consultation opens on restricting PFAS in firefighting foams
Six-month consultation seeks views on UK REACH technical dossier and proposed restrictions.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in its role as the Agency for UK REACH, today opened a six-month public consultation to gather stakeholder views on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foams.
The opening of the UK REACH consultation links to the publication of the Annex 15 restriction report, which presents HSE’s scientific analysis and evidence base for potential restrictions on PFAS use in firefighting foams in Great Britain.
The consultation provides an opportunity for those who use foams from industry, and other stakeholders, such as trade associations, to comment on the proposals before the opinions are made and sent to the Defra Secretary of State, and the Scottish and Welsh Governments for a decision on whether to bring a restriction into law.
Dr Richard Daniels, HSE’s Director of Chemicals Regulation Division said: “HSE’s proposals have been developed through robust scientific methodology and where possible we have spoken with interested parties from across Great Britain. Now we are looking for more information from our stakeholders.
“We’re seeking evidence-based feedback on our analysis to ensure any future restrictions are proportionate, effective and tailored to Great Britain’s specific needs.”
This work takes forward the recommendation from our analysis in 2023 that PFAS in firefighting foams are prioritised for action ahead of other uses of PFAS, as firefighting foams are one of the largest sources of direct releases to the environment.
The consultation runs until 18 February 2026 and full details, including the restriction report and supporting documents, are available here. HSE has also published a Q&A document to help stakeholders understand the scope and limitations of the consultation.
Further information:
PFAS are persistent chemicals covering thousands of substances used across many industrial sectors
The consultation focuses solely on PFAS in firefighting foams and does not cover other PFAS uses or legacy contamination
Questions outside the scope of this specific restriction report should be directed to Defra
HSE is Great Britain’s independent regulator for workplace health and safety. HSE also has the role as the Agency for UK REACH under the UK REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulations.
HSE to lead investigation into death of George Gilbey
The investigation into the death of George Gilbey is now being led by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
George, 40, was working in Shoeburyness, Essex on 27 March 2024, when he fell to his death.
The involvement of Essex Police has now concluded. HSE will now lead the criminal investigation.
HSE inspector Natalie Prince said: “We have been a part of this inquiry from the outset, and we will continue to thoroughly investigate George’s tragic death as the lead agency.
“This will aim to establish if there have been any breaches of health and safety law.
“We are in regular contact with George’s family and our thoughts remain with them at this time.”
Further information.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise.
Power failures and control errors cause gangways to retract without warning, risking fatal falls
Oil and gas operators to review gangway systems or stop operations
Safety measures required before workers can safely use motion compensated gangways
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety notice today (8 August) to highlight the risks of potentially fatal gangway accidents to offshore workers.
Serious risks have been identified where motion compensated gangways retract without warning due to power failures or control system errors. This puts workers at risk of falling from height, being struck by moving parts, or suffering serious injuries including death.
HSE is calling on operators in oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors to review their gangway arrangements. Any gangways that cannot provide sufficient warning before automatic retraction must be taken out of service until proper safety controls are installed.
Howard Harte, Operations Manager (Offshore Regulation) at the Health and Safety Executive, said: “Despite a previous safety alert in 2024, and the publication of industry good practice, we have become aware that gangways that provide insufficient warning before auto-retraction are still being used in the offshore oil and gas and renewables industry.
“This safety notice addresses continuing incidents where gangway failures have resulted in unexpected retraction without adequate warning to operators or personnel crossing between platforms. Workers have been left unable to move to safety or brace for sudden movement when systems fail.”
Under the requirements, dutyholders must conduct technical risk assessments of all automatic gangway functions. Control systems must only allow auto-retraction when personnel are confirmed safe. The use of gangway operators to manually override automatic retractions requires rigorous risk assessment.
The HSE emphasises that adequate warning systems must provide advance notice before dangerous events occur.
Howard added: “A warning by definition is advanced notice that a potentially dangerous event is about to occur. The purpose of the warning is to enable persons to make themselves safe before the event occurs. Audible and/or visual alarms that are triggered at the same time the gangway retracts are not considered to provide adequate warning to enable workers to reach safety.”
Dutyholders must review their gangway design, including the testing that has been carried out of all automatic functions. They should carry out a suitable and sufficient technical risk assessment to understand all operational states of the control system under which the gangway may auto-retract, including that the control system will only result in auto-retraction if personnel are not at risk. Use of gangway operators to override auto-retractions should be rigorously risk assessed.
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.
Waste firm fined after worker crushed by excavator
A County Durham waste management company has been fined after a young employee was run over by an excavator.
Farm XS (Northern) Limited, based in Barnard Castle, was sentenced after an incident on 29 January 2024 that left the 24-year-old with serious injuries.
The employee was only in his second week of employment at the Staindrop Road site when he was struck from behind by an excavator and run over. He suffered fractures to both feet.
XS Farm excavators and waste pile
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to ensure a safe system of work was in place. The 24-year-old was working on a waste pile near moving vehicles with no physical separation between them. There was no risk assessment or system of work to protect pedestrians from vehicle movements.
HSE guidance clearly states that pedestrians and vehicles should be segregated when waste is being manually sorted. By law, employers must ensure traffic routes can be used without risking the safety of workers nearby. Guidance is available at hse.gov.uk – Transport movements – HSE
XS Farm waste piles
The case against Farm XS (Northern) Limited, Shaw Bank, Staindrop Road, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8TD, was heard at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 5 August 2025. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.It was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £4,285 in costs.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Richard McMullen said:
“The outcome could have been much worse. But the failures that day meant a worker received serious injuries.
“This incident was easily avoidable by implementing control measures and safe practices to ensure that workers were not put at risk from moving vehicles, including clear segregation and safe refuges.
“This should be a reminder to the waste industry of the need to consider workplace transport risks and to introduce appropriate control measures to separate vehicles and pedestrians.”
This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan and paralegal officer Helen Jacob.
Further information:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk
More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk
Council fined after failures led to care home death
Man was able to leave care home undetected in early hours of morning.
Search involved police, coastguard and firefighters.
Doors at the home were not alarmed or protected.
A local authority has been fined after the death of a patient who went missing from a care home on the Isle of Barra.
Western Isles Council pled guilty to a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act following the death of a 69-year-old man at St Brendan’s Care Home in Castlebay.
Allan MacLeod, who had been diagnosed with Dementia, had been a resident at the home – one of five operated by the council throughout the Western Isles – for around six months at the time of his death. In the early hours of 9 March 2024, he had been able to leave his bedroom without the knowledge of staff and was only found around four hours after going missing. He died a short time later in hospital.
Mr MacLeod had been placed in the home in October 2023 to allow him to be nearer a relative who stayed on Barra. In his first month at the home, staff observed him and determined patterns in his behaviour and how they could best assist him. He was able to go on regular road trips around the island with his family.
On 8 March, having been settled in bed around 9pm, hourly checks were carried out to ensure his wellbeing, but at 2am on 9 March, his bed was unoccupied, and he could not be accounted for after a search of the home.
To avoid being observed by staff, he had exited the home via the only door that was not alarmed and was ten metres from his bedroom. Police Scotland were alerted and a search initiated.
Local Coastguard, RNLI and firefighters were called out to assist in the search and at around 6am, the Coastguard helicopter detected a heat signature near the home on the patio of a residential property.
Mr MacLeod was found with facial injuries consistent with falling. He was transferred to hospital, but despite the efforts of medical staff, he died an hour later.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) determined that he had made several previous attempts to leave the home. Any measures that staff had taken to mitigate this, by fitting an electronic tag to his clothing that indicated his whereabouts had been defeated by Mr Macleod having removed it.
A risk assessment carried out in December 2023 indicated that Mr MacLeod would remove a tag if he located it, therefore staff required to be vigilant to this behaviour. It was only after his death that the home introduced a regime of half hourly checks on residents. Arrangements had already been made to install keypad entry systems on all doors, but this work had not been completed before Mr MacLeod’s death.
Western Isles Council, of Sandwick Road, Stornoway, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 31 and Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The council was fined £80,000 at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court on 6 August 2025.
HSE inspector Ashley Fallis said: “This was a tragic and preventable death.
“The council should have made sure the home had stronger measures in place with Mr MacLeod’s risks already known and assessed.
“Although changes have since been made, they came too late to prevent his death.”
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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 Scotland can be found here.
Manchester firm fined after workers exposed to asbestos risks
A Manchester-based construction company has been fined after workers were put at risk of exposure to asbestos.
A1 Property Maintenance Management Limited was acting as the principal contractor during work at the former Unicorn Public House on Liverpool Road, Eccles, Greater Manchester.
The Unicorn Pub
During a routine inspection to the site on 16 May 2022, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector discovered that 12 square metres of asbestos insulating board (AIB) had been present in a dumb waiter lift shaft – but had already been illegally removed by unknown individuals. This led to the inspector issuing a prohibition notice stopping all work on site until an asbestos survey had been completed.
Previously, after noticing the pub door had been broken into, a site worker had entered the building, where they discovered what appeared to be asbestos debris in the area around the lift shaft. The debris was later wrapped and removed by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.
However, A1 Property Maintenance Management Limited failed to carry out a full asbestos survey to confirm that all asbestos-containing materials had been removed before allowing further construction work to take place.
Property demolition site of former pub
HSE’s has two campaigns “Asbestos and You” and “Asbestos Your Duty” reminding tradespeople about the dangers of asbestos and the importance of working safely with it, also to reach those responsible for the maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings.
The regulator also provides comprehensive guidance for workers and employers about working safely with asbestos on its website. This includes information on how to identify asbestos, what to do if you find it, and the appropriate safety measures needed when working with or around asbestos-containing materials. Workers in trades such as construction, maintenance, demolition and installation are particularly at risk and should ensure they have appropriate training before starting work that might disturb asbestos.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(6) of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It was fined £5,360 and ordered to pay £5,117 in costs at a hearing at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 30 July 2025.
Speaking after the hearing, a HSE spokesperson said:
“This was a serious incident and put those working in the building at risk of being exposed to the harmful effects of asbestos.
“Duty holders are reminded of the need to review without delay an asbestos assessment if there has been a significant change in the premises to which the assessment relates.”
The prosecution was supported by HSE enforcement lawyer Sam Crockett and paralegal Hannah Snelling.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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 and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
Sole trader fined after worker suffered serious injuries
Man fell from height due to lack of edge protection.
Second time HSE action against sole trader.
HSE guidance on working safely at height is available.
A worker suffered serious injuries after falling from a flat roof that did not have any edge protection.
A sole trader has been fined following a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
It was the second time Gary Smith, trading as GJ Smith Roofing, had failed to provide edge protection on a job, with HSE previously taking enforcement action against him.
Smith pleaded guilty following the incident on 15 December 2022, when a team of roofers and labourers were working on his behalf, replacing a flat roof on a house in the Luton area.
A worker suffered serious injuries after falling from a flat roof that did not have any edge protection
At around 11am, one of the workers was carrying large wooden boards across the roof, when he inadvertently stepped off the edge of the roof falling a distance of about 10 feet. He suffered a fractured vertebrate in his back and a broken ankle.
Working at height remains one of the leading causes of workplace injury and death and HSE has detailed guidance on working safely at height.
The HSE investigation found the task had not been properly risk assessed and planned which meant that edge protection around the flat roof had not been put in place, despite it being reasonably practicable to do so. Following HSE intervention, edge protection was installed before work re-commenced.
Gary Smith of Watling Street, Dunstable, pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 4(1) of the Work At Height Regulations 2005. He was fined £2,125 and ordered to pay costs of £5,445 at a hearing at Luton & South Bedfordshire Magistrates’ Court on 29 July 2025.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Tim Nicholson said: “Clearly Mr Smith hadn’t learnt from his previous failures.
“Sadly, this latest offence resulted in a man being seriously injured.
“What makes this incident even more frustrating is the fact it could so easily have been avoided by properly planning the task and ensuring that suitable edge protection had been put in place prior to work starting.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Julian White and paralegal officer Helen Hugo.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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 and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
