• Development in central Preston was to fit former warehouse with 35 apartments.
• Action taken by both the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) in multi-agency collaboration.

An Altrincham-based construction company has been fined £165,000 after it repeatedly failed to put in place suitable fire precautions during renovation in Preston.

Glovers Court Ltd were found guilty of four offences in relation to the redevelopment of  a former city centre warehouse into 35 apartments spread across six floors. The Glovers Court project was under construction on 16 May 2023 when it was visited by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). A number of fire safety issues were identified and LFRS prohibited the use of the building, meaning residents already living there had to leave their homes.  As construction work was still ongoing, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and HSE worked in multi-agency collaboration to deal with this premises.

A HSE inspector then visited the site finding the  company  not to be complying with its duty to ensure suitable fire safety precautions were in place during ongoing construction work. Those failures included:

• No fire detection system;
• No means of raising the alarm in case of a fire;
• Inadequate escape plans; and
• Construction work had not been phased to ensure fire compartmentation was maintained throughout the project to prevent fire spreading to all floors.

As a result of the findings, HSE served a prohibition notice against Glovers Court Ltd, stopping all further work on the property until adequate fire precautions were in place.  HSE also served an improvement notice requiring the company to design and implement a fire management plan.

However, during further visits in June and November 2023, HSE found construction work had been ongoing while no action had been taken to comply with either of the notices.

HSE legislation requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment to be carried out by a responsible person. HSE guidance says, where necessary in the interests of the health or safety of a person on a construction site, suitable and sufficient fire-fighting equipment and fire detection and alarm systems must be provided and located in suitable places. Further details on this can be found https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/51/regulation/32/mad and https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg168.pdf.

Glovers Court Ltd, of Kingsway, Altrincham, Cheshire, who have now gone into liquidation, were found guilty of breaching:

• 33(1)(c) HSWA by virtue of breaching Reg 11(1) CDM 2015

Reg 11 (1) CDM The PD must plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction phase and co-ordinate health and safety matters to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the project is carried out without risks to health and safety.

• 33(1)(c) HSWA by virtue of breaching Reg 13(1) CDM 2015

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Regulation 13(1).   The failures relating to general and process fire precautions can be identified in the failure to plan, manage and monitor the construction phase to ensure it is carried out without risks and by virtue of Reg 16 (1) &(2) and Part 4 because construction work is being carried out.

• 33(1)(g) HSWA x 2

It is an offence for a person to contravene any requirement or prohibition imposed by an improvement notice or a prohibition notice (including any such notice as modified on appeal).

The company was found guilty in their absence following a trial at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 26 June 2025. They were fined £165,000 and ordered to pay £10,512 in costs.

HSE inspector Christine McGlynn said “This company showed a blatant disregard to both fire safety and the laws in place to protect both people and places.

“Each year there are estimated to be hundreds of fires on construction sites, potentially putting the lives of workers and members of the public at risk.

“Any outbreak of fire threatens the safety of those on site and is costly in terms of its damage and delay. Many can be avoided by careful planning and control of work activities.”

A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service added: “This prosecution highlights the positive outcomes multi agency working has for fire safety in Lancashire.

“It also highlights the critical importance property developers, owners and managers must give to fire safety.

“We welcome the court’s recognition of the seriousness of these breaches and hope this serves as a clear message to all about their legal and moral responsibilities.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Karen Park and Paralegal 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. 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.

A Nottingham builder has avoided an immediate spell behind bars after his failures resulted in a gas explosion leaving a worker with burns so serious, he has been unable to work since.

Barry Newman, the sole trader of Foster Brother Builders, was given a 12-month suspended sentence and told to complete 240 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Newman had contracted a Nottingham man to carry out refurbishment works on a property in Bulwell. As part of those works, Newman, 58, had placed a faulty portable space heater, connected to a propane gas (LPG) cylinder, in the property’s cellar to dry out damp.

However, on 22 November 2022, a gas leak from the heater resulted in a violent explosion – causing the 51-year-old man to suffer severe burn injuries to his hands, legs, face and scalp. Footage taken by a member of the public in the immediate aftermath shows the extent of the damage caused to the property, with explosion debris also being propelled onto the pavement and residential road, putting members of the public at risk.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Newman failed to carry out a risk assessment and provide suitable and adequately maintained equipment for the work being undertaken.

The manufacturer’s instructions for the type of heater used clearly state that it is only for use in well-ventilated areas and that LPG cylinders should not be kept below ground. This is because the gas is heavier than air and will collect at the lower level if there is a leak. HSE guidance states that employers should ensure that work equipment is used only for operations for which, and under conditions for which, it is suitable.  Further guidance can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l22.htm

Barry Newman of The Quay, Beeston Marina, Nottingham pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. At Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 19 June 2025 he was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, was ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work in the community, and required to pay costs of £2,000.

HSE Inspector Roy Poulter said: “This gas explosion has left one man unable to work due to the seriousness of the injuries sustained and it could have easily resulted in someone losing their life.

“This case should serve as a strong reminder to those in the building trade on the dangers of working with gas and the need to assess the risk, and just how serious both HSE and the courts take failures like this.

“HSE will take action against those who do not do all that they can to keep people safe.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells.

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 on provision and use of work equipment can be found here: Safe use of work equipment. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Approved Code of Practice and guidance – L22
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.

A Liverpool motor vehicle repair company has been fined after a car fell from a two-post car vehicle lift onto a worker who was on his break.

The court heard how the man suffered multiple serious fractures in the incident at a garage in the Kensington area of Liverpool on 23 November 2022.

The 56-year-old from Toxteth, Liverpool, was working as a mechanic at the time, at the Marvin Street premises of Car Spa & Tyres Ltd. He was working on a vehicle which had been raised on a two-post lift. Neither swivel arm on one of the lifting columns was locked into position, and as he took a break to and was preparing to pray, the car fell from the lift, crushing him beneath and causing multiple serious fractures.

He was taken to Aintree Hospital, where he was found to have a broken leg, three broken bones in his spine, five broken ribs and a broken pelvis.

HSE guidance on working safely under motor vehicles being repaired: Working under vehicles – HSE

The man spent four months in hospital because of his injuries. Almost two years later, he has been left highly dependent upon his wife, and others, to carry out even simple daily tasks. It is unlikely he will be able to work again.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Car Spa & Tyres Ltd, had failed to put in place a safe system of work, or to sufficiently train their staff, in the proper, and safe operation of the lifting equipment.

The company, of the Kensington area of Liverpool, were found guilty by the jury to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs at a hearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on 25 June 2025.

After the hearing, HSE inspector David Bellis said:

“This was a very serious incident, and it is fortunate nobody was killed as a result.

“If the injured man had been suitably trained in the use of the two-post lift, the company had a suitable system of work in place and the swivel arms had been positioned correctly and locked into place this incident would have been avoided.

“The HSE take all accidents seriously, especially those that could have been easily prevented, and will not hesitate to prosecute, whenever it is appropriate.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Karen Park and paralegal officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.

Further information:

1. 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
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. Guidance on working safely in the motor vehicle repair industry, and the safe use of lifting equipment can be found at:

L113: Safe use of lifting equipment (hse.gov.uk)

Health and safety in motor vehicle repair and associated industries (hse.gov.uk)

SIM 03/2010/02 Risk of vehicles falling from two-post vehicle lifts in motor vehicle repair (MVR) (hse.gov.uk)

• Company’s own procedures on meat cutting were not followed
• Training only provided in English despite multi-national workforce

A Suffolk-based meat producer has been fined £140,000 after one of its workers lost part of his finger while cutting a pig tail.

The man had been working for pork producer C & K Meats Limited at its site in Potash Lane on Mid Suffolk Business Park on 12 April 2022. The Ukrainian national, who was 31 at the time, had been instructed to remove pigs’ tails using hydraulic cutters, which were not designed for the task.

However, he caught his left index finger in the cutting mechanism and severed it. He was taken to hospital where he received further treatment including the removal of more of his finger.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all its employees by providing equipment that was not suitable for the task.

Internal procedures were in place which identified hydraulic cutters were only to be used to remove pigs’ legs and that trained butchers would undertake the removal of pigs’ tails with a knife. However, the company failed to implement them.

Training provided for the process of removing pigs’ tails was also only provided in English, including for migrant workers for whom English may not have been their first language.

Employers have a legal responsibility to provide information, instruction, training and supervision in an understandable format for all workers, irrespective of their national origins, first language, or literacy. You can read more about HSE guidance for the food and drink industry here: Food and drink industry case studies – HSE.

C & K Meats Limited of Oak House Heyford Close, Aldermans Green Industrial Estate, Coventry, England, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £140,000 and ordered to pay £5,513.47 in costs at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday 20 June 2025.

HSE inspector Jessica Flint said: “This case identified multiple failures by this company while undertaking the very common task of pork processing.

“Trained butchers on site could have safely removed pigs’ tails using a knife, instead of operatives being instructed to use unsuitable hydraulic cutters.”

“The food industry should protect all its staff. This includes its more vulnerable workers,  by ensuring clearly understandable training, instruction and information is provided, including to non-English speakers, and that only the most suitable equipment is used for its processes.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer, Samantha Crockett and paralegal officer Melissa Wardle.

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. 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.

• Two workers were on first floor when collapse happened.
• “Lucky nobody was killed”, says HSE inspector.
• HSE guidance is available.

A London construction company has been fined £50,000 after four men were injured – two seriously – when the first floor of a house collapsed during building works.

Aryn Stones Ltd had been contracted to build a new domestic property in Hampstead. On 31 May 2022, remedial works were being carried out on a partially built beam-and-block floor, when it collapsed, taking two of the workers down with it.

The two men include a welder, who is now 62, and a 31-year-old bricklayer. They both sustained life-changing injuries, while two other men who were standing at ground level were injured by falling concrete.

Work on the build began in March 2021 but by February the following year, engineers who inspected the property identified errors with the connections of the structural steel beams. This prompted the remedial works that led the structure to collapse. That came about when the welder was using an oxyacetylene torch to cut a steel beam supporting the first floor. However, at the same time, another worker had been removing some Acrow props that were supporting the beam.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Aryn Stones Ltd had failed to ensure the structure did not collapse while it was in a state of temporary weakness. The company also failed to put any measures in place to manage the temporary remedial work being carried out on the steel connections. They also failed to take all practicable steps to prevent danger to any person while the building was in a temporary state of weakness.

HSE guidance on managing health and safety in construction and the management of temporary works is available.

Aryn Stones Ltd, of Percy Road, London were found guilty of breaching Regulation 19(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £50,000 and was ordered to pay £39,000 costs following a two-day trial before City of London Magistrates’ Court on 18 June 2025.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Lucy Ellison-Dunn said: “Although two men were seriously injured, it was lucky nobody was killed.

“This was a completely avoidable incident had a system for the management of temporary works been in place. The company should have taken precautions to protect people from the risk of collapse.

“Everyone working in construction has a responsibility to ensure that everyone on a building site is safe.”

The investigation was also carried out by HSE inspector Alexander McIlwraith.

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Crockett and supported by HSE Paralegal Officer Sarah 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. 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.
5. Guidance on the management of temporary works can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/temporary-works.htm

• Water rose to workers’ knees before emergency stop
• Incident was “terrifying”, says HSE inspector

An oil and gas operator has been fined £300,000 after three crew members descended into a water filled lift shaft on a floating platform in the North Sea causing them to become partially submerged.

The workers had been descending in a lift located in one of the platform legs on the FPF-1 facility during a night shift on 10 December 2020 when the water started to  flood into the lift before they reached the bottom of the shaft. The trio were knee-deep in water by the time the lift was able to be stopped by the workers via the emergency button.

Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited, the owner of FPF-1, pleaded guilty to safety failings at a hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Thursday, 12 June 2025.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the three men had been tasked with carrying out inspection work at the base of one of the facility’s sub-sea columns.  During preparations to clear the inspection site of standing water beforehand, failings of hardware and incorrect operating procedures caused the bottom of the lift shaft to commence filling with water. Due to a lack of water alarms in the bottom of the lift shaft the control room was unaware that water was filling the shaft.

As the three men descended in the lift, they experienced a ‘rush of air’ before their fears of something being wrong were confirmed when the base of the lift made contact with the water. The three men were able to press an emergency stop button and returned safely to the main deck, with none of them sustaining any injuries.

The HSE investigation found that water marks on the lift door revealed it had reached a level of just under 1.5 metres before the lift was stopped and returned to surface. Ithaca’s own investigation determined that the water level could have actually reached more than three metres, meaning the men would have found it difficult to escape through the top hatch of the lift if the workers had used the lift later and/or had not been successful in bringing the lift to a halt immediately.

HSE issued Ithaca with an improvement notice and work in confined spaces was stopped by the company until February 2021 to allow a full review to take place.

Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited of Queens Road, Aberdeen pleaded guilty to breaching The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, 30 Regulation 4(1) and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 33(1)(a). The company was fined £300,000.

HSE inspector Ian Chilley said: “This was a terrifying incident for the workers involved, we are just thankful that no physical harm came to them.

“This fine should send a message and reminder to those operating offshore facilities for them to be extra vigilant.

“It was only a matter of good fortune that this incident didn’t result in serious injury, or worse.”

When passing sentence, the sheriff observed the case marked ‘another reminder of the need for rigorous adherence to health and safety in the oil and gas industry’.

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. 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.

A construction site supervisor has been fined after he exposed primary school pupils and staff to asbestos during renovation work.

Adrian Barraclough was working as a site supervisor during the refurbishment of kitchen facilities at Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Bristol.

During the works on 13 May 2023, the 54-year-old cut through asbestos insulating board using a circular saw. His actions resulted in asbestos fibres spreading throughout the school hall, which was subsequently used for two days by pupils and staff.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Barraclough failed to follow his asbestos awareness training, including clear instructions not to disturb the wall. Following an asbestos survey, the wall was due to be checked by a licensed asbestos contractor prior to removal to clarify if asbestos was present.

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.

Adrian Barraclough, of Green Lane, Frome, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was fined £1,800 and ordered to pay a £720 victim surcharge and £4,000 in costs at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 12 June 2025 – a total financial penalty of £6,520.

HSE inspector Ian Whittles said: “Every year around 5,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases, often taking decades to develop symptoms. In this case, wholly unacceptable exposure to asbestos fibres occurred as a result of an individual employee not following instructions and procedures designed to prevent such occurrences.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Karen Park and paralegal Imogen Issac.

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 are available.
4. Relevant guidance can be found here: Introduction to asbestos safety: Overview – 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 can be found here.

A demolition company has been fined after a worker fell six metres through a roof opening during a demolition project, suffering serious injuries.

Lawrie (Demolition) Limited had been appointed as the principal contractor to carry out the demolition of a vacant warehouse in Aberdeen.

On 25 May 2023, 42-year-old Sylwester Zdunczyk was working with a team on the warehouse roof, removing aluminium over-sheeting. The sheets were being carried to pre-cut holes in the roof from where they were dropped to the ground floor. These holes were guarded by steel crowd control barriers secured together with plastic tie wraps – but they were not attached to the roof surface. No other fall prevention measures were in place.

While helping to carry a sheet backwards near one of the holes, Mr Zdunczyk lost his footing. The weight of the sheet and his own bodyweight caused the unattached barriers to shift, exposing the edge of the opening and creating a gap. He fell approximately six metres to the concrete floor below.

Mr Zdunczyk sustained a fractured pelvis and two broken ribs. He was unable to work for six months after being discharged from hospital and has not fully recovered. Previously fit and active, he can no longer run, cycle or play football and now requires pain medication.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Lawrie (Demolition) Limited failed to properly plan, supervise, and carry out the work at height safely. Workers were sent onto the roof without sufficient instruction, training or supervision. The company also failed to put adequate fall protection measures in place.

Working at height remains one of the leading causes of workplace injury and death and HSE has detailed guidance on working safely at height.

Lawrie (Demolition) Limited, of Rigifa, Cove, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £40,562.50 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 12 June 2025.

HSE inspector Muhammad Umair Tanvir said:
“This incident could have been avoided by simply implementing appropriate control measures and safe working practices.

“Falls from height remain the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries in UK workplaces. In 2023/24, 50 workers died following a fall from height – the highest cause of workplace fatalities. This trend has remained consistent over recent years.”

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. 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.

A metal gate manufacturing company has been prosecuted after repeatedly ignoring Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforcement notices.

Research and Development in Opening Gates Limited was first visited by HSE at its site in Grantham, Lincolnshire, where inspectors identified serious safety breaches, including unsafe equipment, inadequate control of welding fume, and poor structural integrity in workplace areas accessed by employees and visitors.

Three Improvement Notices were served following the initial inspection. These required the company to:

• Take effective measures to control employee and non-employee exposure to welding fume, a substance hazardous to health.
• Assess the structural safety of a mezzanine floor in use at the site.
• Ensure lifting equipment, including a forklift truck, had undergone a thorough examination to confirm it was safe to use.

Further material breaches were identified in a Notification of Contravention letter, including:

• Unguarded dangerous parts of machinery.
• Inadequate edge protection on the mezzanine floor to prevent falls from height.
• Electrical systems not constructed to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, danger.
• Unsafe storage of flammable gases.
• No competent person appointed to assist with health and safety management.

Despite this enforcement, follow-up inspections revealed continued non-compliance. HSE returned to the site five more times, serving three additional Improvement Notices and one Prohibition Notice.

The Prohibition Notice was issued during a second visit in relation to ducting installed above welding benches. The ducting was supported by unstable and unsecured structures that were visibly bowing, posing a serious risk of personal injury should it collapse. The installation had been intended to control exposure to welding fume but was found to be unsafe and ineffective.

Two further Notification of Contravention letters were also sent to the company. During the intervention, compliance deadlines were extended on two occasions, but legal requirements were still not met. The company’s failings put employees, contractors and visitors at risk of serious harm. Reasonably practicable measures could have been taken to control these risks, but the company failed to do so.

An investigation by HSE found that Research and Development in Opening Gates Limited had failed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees and others affected by its work activities. The company’s standard of health and safety management fell significantly below legal requirements, leading to a proactive prosecution.

HSE guidance states that employers must take effective measures to control exposure to hazardous substances such as welding fume. This typically includes providing engineering controls, like Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV). Workplaces must also be structurally sound and lifting equipment must be examined regularly by competent professionals.

Research and Development in Opening Gates Limited, of Lea Bridge Road, London pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £40,000 for each offence, totalling £80,000, and ordered to pay £7,495.72 in costs, along with a £2,000 victim surcharge. The sentence was handed down at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 12 June 2025.

HSE inspector Muir Finlay said:
“This prosecution follows a catalogue of failures, all of which posed serious risks to both the health and safety of workers and visitors of the site.

“The company failed to implement basic, well-understood measures to control risks. Health and safety must be effectively managed — it’s not optional.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Jason Dix.

Notes to editors

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. 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.
5.  Link to relevant HSE guidance: Welding fume: protect your workers – HSE

A housebuilder has been fined £800,000 after a teen apprentice was injured when a temporary stairwell covering collapsed.

Charlie Marsh, 17, had been working as a contractor on a Taylor Wimpey UK Limited site as it built around 450 new homes on its Meadfields site in Weston-Super-Mare.

The apprentice bricklayer, from Whitchurch in Bristol, was less than 12 months into his career when the incident happened. An investigator for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the teen was lucky to escape serious injury.

On 22 August 2023 Charlie had been loading concrete blocks onto the temporary flooring on the first floor of one of the newly built homes. The blocks were being loaded into stacks of between 10 and 20, one of which was on or near to a temporary stairwell covering. This was a large area covered with a timber sheet material laid over joists – both of which would be later removed to install the staircase.

However, the area collapsed, causing Charlie and around 20kg of the concrete blocks to fall more than two metres to the ground below. He sustained injuries to his fingers, hand, wrist and shoulder.

The subsequent HSE investigation found that the joists under the timber sheet material should have been back propped. This was mentioned a number of times in Taylor Wimpey’s own health and safety manual for the site, however, it had been missed on this particular plot. Had suitably designed back propping been used, it is unlikely the incident would have occurred.

• HSE guidance (L153 – Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015) states that all practicable steps must be taken to prevent danger to any person from structural collapses and that an employer has a duty to ensure that contractors under their control should not be exposed to risks of their health or safety (Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974).

Taylor Wimpey UK Limited pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £800,000 and ordered to pay £6,240.25 costs with a £2000 victim surcharge at the North Somerset Magistrates’ Court on 3 June 2025.

HSE inspector Derek Mclauchlan said “Everyone working in construction has a responsibility to ensure people are safe.

“Any work involving structural stability is potentially high risk and proper planning and implementation should be given.

“This incident could have been avoided had the right steps been taken.

“The failures of Taylor Wimpey resulted in a young man at the very beginning of his career being injured. Charlie was lucky those injuries were not far more serious.

“Lessons should be learned.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Samantha Tiger 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. Relevant guidance can be found here The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 – 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 can be found here.