HSE announced at its August annual general meeting that it will:
- Ramp up efforts to tackle work-related ill health
- Overhaul the RIDDOR reporting process
- Review its Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme
- Smooth the Building Safety Regulator’s transition into being a standalone.
All whilst keeping on top of enforcement and being regulation smart.
In 2024 – 2025, HSE Inspectors:
- Conducted 13,200 inspections,
- Issued 4,400 notices
- 3,200 Improvement Notices; and
- 1,200 Prohibition Notices; and
- Brought over 200 prosecutions, with a conviction rate of 96%.
Tackling work-related ill health: stress and mental health
Now in year four of its 10-year strategic plan, HSE is intensifying efforts to address work-related ill health, particularly stress and mental health.
Employers have a legal duty to prevent work-related stress by including it in risk assessments and acting on findings. Proactive workplaces are more likely to:
- Reduce absenteeism
- Improve productivity
- Boost morale
- Retain staff
- Minimise conflict
Relationships, one of six main causes of workplace stress, often go unmanaged due to conflict avoidance. However, ACAS research shows informal resolution approaches are rarely regretted and can:
- Preserve relationships
- Reduce stress
- Be less costly than formal procedures
Early intervention reduces impact and builds confidence, and even without resolution, managers gain valuable communication skills.
In 2022–23, work-related ill health cost UK businesses £1.4 billion, not including the personal toll on individuals, lives affected or even shortened by a preventable condition.
Resources on stress and mental health in the workplace:
Information, guidance, and training is available to help build confidence and provide needed skills.
- Free online learning via HSE’s Working Minds is a good introduction. A step-by-step, do in your own time resource, providing access to practical templates.
- The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work can also be taken online over 2 days, or one day in person. Successful completion provides a qualification.
- Work-related stress: developing manager capability is a live online course over 2 days, next being held on 4th and 5th March 2026.
In-company training courses can also be designed and delivered specifically for your business with flexible dates and locations.
Tackling Work-Related Ill Health: Physical Health
HSE continues to prioritise physical health in the workplace, with a focus on conditions caused or worsened by working environments.
Key statistics:
- 20,000 new cases of breathing/lung issues are reported annually
- 12,000 cases of hearing problems
- 500,000 workers are affected by musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) each year
Despite these figures, HSE believes the UK could be the healthiest place to work if businesses manage health risks effectively.
What to expect:
- Targeted inspections focusing on health outcomes (e.g. asbestos, dust, noise, MSDs)
- Checks on health surveillance where legally required
- Review of proactive measures to reduce harm
- Updated guidance expected on stone dusts with high silica content
Now is the time to review your health risk management practices. Ensuring compliance and taking proactive steps can protect your workforce and your business.
Updates to RIDDOR and HSE Focus Areas
HSE is reviewing the RIDDOR reporting process, aiming to simplify definitions for occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences. The goal is to make reporting easier, more responsive, and better aligned with protecting workers.
Key updates:
- No current plans to include violence at work or road traffic-related fatalities in RIDDOR.
- A consultation on workplace violence is upcoming, offering a chance to revisit this topic.
- HSE is refining its risk-based approach to focus on the most serious non-fatal incidents.
Other areas of focus:
- Continued investigation into PFAS (forever chemicals), especially in firefighting foams.
- Emphasis on health outcomes in inspections—covering asbestos, dust, noise, and MSDs.
- Checks on health surveillance compliance where legally required.
- Expected updates on risks from stone dusts with high silica content.
Recent activity:
- 86% of fatality investigations were completed within 12 months
- 700+ inspections of licensed asbestos removal contractors
- 2,000+ inspections checking health surveillance compliance
- Nearly 3,000 MSD risk assessments have been conducted
HSE is sharpening its focus on health as well as safety. Now is a good time to review your reporting processes, health surveillance systems, and risk management strategies to ensure compliance and readiness.
The Fee for Intervention (FFI)
It was noted that the HSE are planning to review the scheme in an effort to keep it ‘fair and proportionate for everyone’. We will keep you updated if more information is announced on this. In the meantime, please see our previous newsletter on the FFI here if you are interested in knowing more.
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR)
The BSR has already started to tighten controls. They have already rejected 70% of building control applications since their inception, where they were of poor quality or missing essential details. 40% were invalidated at the first stage of the process due to incorrect paperwork.
Need help with this? Please do not hesitate to contact us, as we are happy to help.