Falls when working at height remain the most common kind of workplace fatality, with 50 fatal accidents being recorded in 2023 to 2024. Considering the risks associated with work at height, and putting in place sensible and proportionate measures to manage them, is an important part of working safely. Our step-by-step guide can help you control risks when working at height. It is also vital to make sure any scaffolding is stable and safe at all times. Our scaffold checklist explains when a scaffold design is required. It also covers the level of training and competence needed for those erecting, dismantling, altering, inspecting and supervising scaffolding. Visit our website for more guidance on managing the risks of working from height. The company was fined £133,000 after a man was left seriously injured when he fell through a barn roof. The man was helping a friend repair a fire-damaged storage barn, and was on a sloped roof fixing new panels to timbers, but they were not strong enough to hold his weight. They gave way when he stood on them and he fell through to the hard surface about 10 metres below. HSE's investigation found that: safety measures such as barriers, netting or access equipment were not in place the engineering company had failed to take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of workers, and others affected by the work, when replacing the barn roof
Read more in our press release: company fined after barn roof fall.
You can visit our news centre for more on recent enforcement cases, which include: stone company fined after repeatedly failing to protect workers
There were 215 new cases of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) recorded in Great Britain in 2023. HSE's hand-arm vibration calculator can assist you in calculating exposures and our website offers guidance on how to use it. Access the guidance, as well as a link to the calculator, on our webpage: the hand-arm vibration exposure calculator. Following a HSE investigation, a Council was recently fined £60,000 for exposing workers to the risks arising from the use of vibrating tools. Read more in this press release: Council fined after workers exposed to risks from vibrating tools HSE is also running a one-day course around hand-arm vibration management on Tuesday 4 March 2025 at HSE's Science and Research Centre in Buxton. Find out more and book your place at Hand-arm vibration: management in the workplace. Our guidance publication is aimed at all those involved in commissioning, planning, managing and carrying out work on or near underground services. The guide outlines the potential dangers of working near underground services and gives advice on how to reduce any direct and indirect risks to people's health and safety. It also explains the 3 basic elements of a safe system of work during excavation: planning the work locating and identifying buried services safe excavation
You can download a free copy or buy the book: Avoiding danger from underground services (HSG47).
Come and join HSE, where you can develop your career and help protect people and places. We currently have a range of vacancies, which include: Specialist Inspector - Marine Engineer
closes 27 January Dynamics Lead Developer
closes 3 February Manufacturing Technician
closes 3 February
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