Throughout May 2026, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continued to prosecute businesses following serious workplace incidents involving working at height, workplace transport, machinery safety, and inadequate risk management.
For businesses that rely on working at height equipment, such as Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs), steps and ladders, these cases serve as a timely reminder that effective safety management is more than compliance; it is about protecting people.
In this blog, we will uncover key lessons from recent enforcement action, share seasonal work at height guidance, and provide resources to help you improve workplace safety.
Several recent prosecutions involved workers suffering life-changing injuries after falling through fragile roofs, skylights, and unprotected openings.
The common factors:
Inadequate planning
Poor supervision
Insufficient fall prevention measures
Outdated risk assessments
Whether you are managing maintenance projects, facilities management contracts, or warehouse operations, work at height safety must remain a priority.
A roofing company has been fined after a roofer suffered life-changing injuries when he fell through an unguarded loft hatch while carrying out re-roofing work at a property in Wimbledon, London.
The worker fell approximately 11 feet through the loft opening into the floor below.
He sustained serious injuries, including:
The HSE investigation found that the loft hatch had not been identified or protected, and the work at height had not been properly planned or supervised.
Read the full prosecution here.
A machine manufacturing company has been fined after an employee suffered serious hand injuries during a lifting operation at its site in Shepshed, Leicestershire. The worker's hand became trapped beneath a three-ton machine while it was being moved using a forklift truck.
The employee sustained severe injuries, including:
The HSE investigation found that the lifting operation involving the forklift truck had not been properly planned or carried out safely. Adequate controls were not in place to protect workers from the risks associated with suspended loads.
Proper risk assessment is a key step in preventing incidents during lifting operations and other high-risk tasks. Download our free HLS Risk Assessment Template to help identify hazards, implement control measures, and improve safety planning across your workplace.
A shipping company has been fined after a yard operative suffered life-changing injuries when he was struck by a reversing forklift truck at Aberdeen Harbour. The worker was on foot, unclipping the curtain side of a trailer when the forklift's wheel hit his leg and pulled him to the ground.
He sustained serious injuries, including:
The HSE investigation found that pedestrians and vehicles were not adequately separated during loading and unloading operations, creating a foreseeable risk of collision. Although a traffic management plan existed, it lacked the detail needed to ensure workers could operate safely.
Ensure your operators have the knowledge and skills to work safely and confidently. Book your forklift training today to help reduce risks, improve compliance, and create a safer workplace for everyone.
One recurring theme across many HSE prosecutions was not the absence of risk assessments but the failure to act on identified risks.
A risk assessment should be a working document that drives improvements, not a file stored away until the next audit.
Your risk assessment checklist should:
Identify foreseeable hazards
Implement effective control measures
Review after changes or incidents
Monitor actions through to completion
Regularly communicate findings to teams
Find out how to conduct a risk assessment here.
This month, HLS was proud to support No Falls Week 2026, the UK's annual campaign focused on raising awareness of working at height safety and encouraging safer working practices across all industries. The campaign promotes simple but vital measures such as proper planning, risk assessments, suitable equipment, and effective training to help prevent falls from height and reduce workplace injuries.
Falls from height continue to be one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities in the UK, highlighting the importance of keeping safety at the forefront of everyday operations. No Falls Week serves as a valuable reminder that simple measures such as good planning, the right equipment, and effective training can make a significant difference in preventing incidents.
To mark the campaign, the HLS team took part in a No Falls Week quiz. The aim was to refresh our knowledge of working at height best practices, while keeping important safety conversations going across the business. It was a great opportunity for the team to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and reinforce the small actions that help keep people safe every day.
For practical advice and guidance on preventing falls from height, read our No Falls Week blog and discover ways to improve working at height safety across your site.
We are pleased to announce that HLS will be attending the Safety, Health & Wellbeing Live at Olympia London this July. As one of the UK's leading events for health and safety professionals, the exhibition provides a great opportunity to connect with industry experts, discover the latest safety innovations, and discuss the challenges facing today's workplaces.
If you are attending the event, we would love to see you. Whether you are looking for advice on working at height, access equipment, IPAF training, inspection, maintenance and repairs, our team will be on hand to help.
Register your interest here.
Summer working conditions can introduce additional hazards, including heat stress, dehydration, fatigue, reduced concentration, and increased exposure to UV radiation.
Taking simple precautions can help keep teams safe and productive throughout the summer months.
Discover 7 practical tips for safer working at height in hot weather
Ladders remain a practical solution for many low-risk, short-duration working at height tasks, particularly for inspections and light maintenance work. However, many everyday tasks can often be completed more safely and efficiently using alternative access equipment.
Solutions such as the HLS 360 Step, HLS Fortress Step, and HLS Hugo Lift are designed to provide greater stability and reduce the risks associated with working at height, while also improving productivity and operator safety.
Compared to standard ladders, these access solutions can offer:
Increased operator stability and support
Reduced risk of falls and overreaching
Hands-free working from a secure platform
Improved comfort during longer-duration tasks
Greater productivity and efficiency on-site
Tasks completed safely by one operator instead of two-person support
To further support a "Ladders Last" approach, ladder token systems and ladder guards can also help control and prevent unauthorised ladder use on site, ensuring ladders are only used when they are the most appropriate access solution for the task.
When it comes to working at height, the right equipment is only part of the solution. Having the knowledge and confidence to use it safely is just as important.
Regular training and refresher courses help keep safe working practices fresh in people's minds, ensuring teams can recognise risks, make informed decisions, and carry out tasks safely. As workloads, sites, and equipment evolve, it is worth taking a moment to review training records and identify any upcoming renewal requirements.
Whether you are welcoming new starters or planning refresher training for experienced operators, investing in competence today can help prevent incidents tomorrow. HLS offers a range of training courses designed to help your teams stay safe, confident, and ready for the challenges of working at height.
Our free resource library is designed to help businesses strengthen working at height safety, improve compliance, and support safer working practices across their sites.
Popular resources include:
Explore our free work at height resources and discover practical tools to help reduce risk, improve compliance, and keep your teams safe when working at height.
In this blog, we have explored the key lessons from recent HSE prosecutions, highlighting the importance of effective planning, risk management, and maintaining safe working practices. We also celebrated No Falls Week 2026, shared seasonal advice for summer working at height, explored safer alternatives to ladders, and highlighted the value of ongoing training and practical safety resources.
While every workplace faces different challenges, the message remains the same: keeping safety conversations active, regularly reviewing risks, and ensuring people have the right knowledge and equipment can help prevent incidents and create safer working environments for everyone.
Need support with working at height, materials handling, and floor care? Contact our team on 0113 524 1018.