HSE inspections will focus as much on health as on safety.
UK employers have been under the watchful eye of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) since 1974. Inspections have historically scrutinized company policies and procedures for physical hazards, employee safety, regulatory compliance and workplace conditions.
But the new 10-year HSE strategy to reduce workplace ill health will prioritise mental wellbeing, as well as physical safety.
It will focus on six key areas: manual handling; display screen equipment, COSHH, noise, mental health and stress.
Those employers that don’t focus on addressing stress, anxiety and depression in the workplace as much as musculoskeletal or slips and trips hazards could find themselves facing substantial fines and even potential shutdowns.
Sickening statistics
According to the latest HSE data published in November, 1.9 million workers were suffering work-related ill-health in 2024/25. This reflects a concerning 200,000 year-on-year increase.
Work-related stress, anxiety and depression now account for more than half of all lost working days in the UK (22.1 million working days). With nearly a million workers (964,000) affected last year, the UK is facing a serious mental health crisis.
This trajectory has led to an increase in health-related prosecutions by the HSE. Last year, 246 criminal prosecutions were completed with total fines of £33m, half of which were related to workplace health.
Health risk management
All our liability products include a health and safety review which helps to mitigate the unique risks of each business – and protect their most valuable asset – their people.
SafeCheck only takes around an hour to find out what is being done well – and where there is room for improvement to achieve HSE compliance.
Now that the HSE will be proactively prioritising workplace health as part of routine inspections, isn’t it time you reviewed your health risk management policies and procedures?
When it comes to protecting people, prevention is always better than cure.
Stats source: Prepare for more workplace health inspections, employers told