Editorial update, 29 September 2026: the stress and construction guidance sections have been corrected. These duties were not new in April 2025. The original publication date is retained.
Practical health and safety updates for business owners, managers, and duty holders.
Operations Manager Prosecuted Following Fatal Fall — A Wake-Up Call for All Leaders
In a recent case, both a company and its operations manager were successfully prosecuted by the HSE after the tragic death of an employee who fell 20 feet from an unprotected mezzanine. This is unusual, but demonstrates the HSE's move to prosecute individuals for failures in health and safety.
👉 Read the full HSE case study here
What happened?
Employees were routinely exposed to a dangerous mezzanine without edge protection.
Planning was poor, and safe systems of work were absent.
The employee fell and tragically died.
The operations manager was prosecuted under Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which requires all employees — especially those with managerial responsibility — to take reasonable care for others. The manager was fined personally and sentenced to 12 months under a community order.
Why this matters to you
This case is not just about corporate responsibility — it's about personal liability. Managers, supervisors, and directors who fail to control foreseeable risks can be fined or even imprisoned. This applies across sectors — manufacturing, logistics, schools, care, construction, and more.
If you are a senior leader or appoint people into positions of responsibility, you must be able to demonstrate that your arrangements are:
Suitable and sufficient
Reviewed regularly
Communicated clearly to staff
Our Shield Audit service is designed specifically to protect your senior team by identifying gaps and helping you build defensible health and safety systems.
👉 Learn more about the Shield Audit and book yours today
Why Staff Training Improves Safety AND Protects Your Business
Training is one of the simplest but most powerful ways to reduce workplace accidents and improve legal defensibility.
When incidents occur, one of the first things the HSE and courts will look at is:
Did staff receive appropriate training?
Were refresher courses provided?
Were records maintained?
A well-trained workforce is safer, and well-documented training records will significantly strengthen your position if you face enforcement or a civil claim.
We offer CPD, RoSPA, and IIRSM approved online training covering:
General Health & Safety Awareness
Fire Safety
COSHH, Manual Handling, Working at Height, and more
👉 See our full online training catalogue here
Work-related stress: assess risks and act on the findings
Employers must assess work-related stress risks and take action to protect their workers. This is an existing health and safety duty, not a new requirement introduced in April 2025.
Consult staff, identify the causes of stress, agree practical controls and review whether they work. A policy can support these arrangements but is not a substitute for assessing and controlling the risks. Employers with five or more employees must record their significant risk assessment findings.
HSE guidance on stress risk assessment
Contact us for support with stress risk assessments and action plans.
Construction safety: check your arrangements
Review your arrangements against the risks of each project and the applicable legal duties. The following are continuing safety priorities; this section does not announce new legislation or a specific 2025 change in HSE guidance.
Work at height
Use HSE’s work at height guidance when reviewing the work, equipment and precautions needed for your project.
Lifting operations
Plan lifting operations with people who have the knowledge and experience needed for the task. The plan and supervision should reflect the risks involved. See HSE guidance on planning lifting operations and thorough examinations and inspections.
Temporary works
Temporary works need suitable design, planning, management and checks. Appointing a competent Temporary Works Coordinator with appropriate authority is one effective way to coordinate this work. HSE does not prescribe that job title as a universal legal requirement. See HSE’s temporary works guidance.
Our team can help you review your risk assessments, responsibilities and site arrangements.
✅ How Armadillo Safety Can Support You This Month:
✔ Shield Audit — Help senior managers and directors identify gaps and strengthen safety oversight
✔ Online Training — Affordable, accredited courses to boost safety and compliance
✔ Stress Assessment Pack — Templates and guidance to assess and manage work-related stress
✔ Construction Safety Review — Ensure you meet the latest guidance
Contact us today to arrange a free initial consultation.