Health Safety Digital

One Dead, Hundreds Ill in UK Salmonella Outbreak

mtilley@nineteengroup.com (Mark Tilley) — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:00:42 GMT

Health and safety experts are linking imported eggs with an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning in the UK which has caused one death and caused hundreds to fall ill.

Work-Related Deaths: Should RIDDOR Include Suicide?

hbrackstone@nineteengroup.com (Hollie Brackstone) — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:54:23 GMT

A recent inquest into the death of Treasury worker Chloe Moffat has raised difficult questions about how workplaces protect employees from harm, particularly when that harm is not physical.

Chloe, 26, was a personal assistant at HM Treasury. She took her own life the day after a meeting with managers about allegations that she had shared sensitive information about colleagues, which she denied.

Workplace dust: a routine risk that demands serious attention

Elynor Drinkwater — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:15:00 GMT

Employers should not underestimate the risks associated with workplace dust. The HSE prosecution against Puratos Limited highlights how failures to control exposure to hazardous substances can escalate into six-figure enforcement action.

The company was fined £120,000 after workers were exposed to hazardous dust escaping from machinery, underlining the importance of effective risk assessment and control measures.

Rail Freight: Preparing for a More Extreme Climate

hbrackstone@nineteengroup.com (Hollie Brackstone) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:12:22 GMT

More frequent flooding, extreme heat, high winds and landslips are creating new safety challenges for the UK rail freight sector, with operators being forced to rethink how they prepare for climate-related risks.

According to Network Rail, weather-related incidents now cause more than three million minutes of delays every year, costing the industry more than £120 million in compensation payments.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Confirms New Non-Executive Director for HSE

mtilley@nineteengroup.com (Mark Tilley) — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has confirmed a new non-executive director appointment to the Board of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The Best Lone Worker Safety Solutions in 2026

mtilley@nineteengroup.com (Mark Tilley) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:13:43 GMT

Gone are the days when lone working was a niche workplace safety issue. From engineers and utilities workers to security officers, healthcare professionals, housing teams and facilities managers, millions of workers across the UK regularly do so without close or direct supervision.

Lone working risks are well established and clearly understood. A lone worker who suffers a fall, becomes unwell, encounters violence or finds themselves in an otherwise dangerous situation mightn't have anyone nearby to assist or raise the alarm.

Safety on demand: The rising popularity of renting safety equipment

Euan McIntosh — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:39:05 GMT

Health and safety teams are increasingly operating in environments that look very different from the ones they managed a decade ago. Projects must often be delivered to tighter timelines, resourcing is increasingly stretched, and organisations are under constant pressure to maintain productivity without compromising compliance or worker protection.

While safety standards remain as important as ever, the challenge is no longer simply having the right equipment. Increasingly, it is about having the right equipment available at the right time, in the right quantity, and configured and calibrated for the specific risks of the task at hand.

Essex Explosion to be Investigated by HSE

mtilley@nineteengroup.com (Mark Tilley) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:57:39 GMT

An investigation has been launched into an explosion at an industrial complex in Rettendon, Essex which led to 20 firefighters being taken to hospital.

Young Apprentice's Death Highlights the Importance of Safe Lone Working

hbrackstone@nineteengroup.com (Hollie Brackstone) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:47:03 GMT

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.

RoSPA OSH Skills Commission Report Examines Workplace Safety

mtilley@nineteengroup.com (Mark Tilley) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:30:01 GMT

Skills shortages risk making workplaces less safe and less productive, with an impact on the national economy, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).