The death of an 18-year-old apprentice joiner has highlighted the devastating consequences of inadequate lone working arrangements and the importance of ensuring young workers are properly supervised on site.

Property management company Varcity Living Limited has been fined £50,000 after apprentice Chloe Bidwell was fatally injured while working alone at a property undergoing renovation in Bangor, North Wales. The company's director also received a suspended prison sentence after an investigation found serious failings in health and safety management.

A preventable tragedy

Chloe was working alone at the property in December 2023 when a stack of large wooden boards fell, causing fatal injuries.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the boards had been stored upright against a wall without being secured, despite the significant risk of them toppling. Investigators also identified a series of wider failures, including the absence of a lone working procedure, inadequate supervision, insufficient training and a lack of suitable risk assessments.

Construction materials such as sheet timber can weigh up to 30kg each and should be stored securely to prevent movement. The HSE found that no safe storage system had been implemented and that the risks associated with handling the boards had not been properly assessed.

The risks of lone working

While lone working is common across many industries, it requires employers to take additional precautions to ensure workers remain safe.

This includes assessing whether tasks are suitable to be carried out alone, providing appropriate training and supervision, establishing reliable communication procedures and ensuring workers can be monitored throughout their shift.

These considerations become even more important when young or inexperienced workers are involved.

Apprentices are still developing their skills and confidence, and should receive appropriate supervision while carrying out potentially hazardous work. Tasks involving heavy materials, changing site conditions or manual handling may require additional oversight to reduce the likelihood of serious incidents.

A reminder for employers

The HSE concluded that Chloe's death was entirely preventable had appropriate safety measures been in place.

Her family described her as a determined young woman with ambitions of becoming a firefighter and urged employers to view the case as a reminder of the real human impact behind workplace safety failures. Our thoughts are with Chloe's family, friends and everyone affected by this tragic loss.

Beyond legal compliance, the case reinforces the importance of creating working environments where risks are properly assessed, materials are stored safely and lone workers receive the supervision and support they need.

Every worker has the right to expect they will return home safely at the end of the day. For employers, particularly those responsible for apprentices and young workers, ensuring effective lone working arrangements is not simply good practice - it is a fundamental responsibility.

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