United Kingdom: Health & Safety

This weekly construction sector round-up examines the Welsh Government's consultation on building safety accountability, Balfour Beatty's ambitious workforce expansion plans, and Dame Judith Hackitt's call for engineers to prioritize ethical safety practices. The update also covers a significant tribunal ruling on the Building Safety Regulator's powers and the government's new homeownership scheme driving housebuilder share prices upward.

Explore the latest legal insights and regulatory updates across multiple practice areas including immigration, employment law, construction, real estate, and emerging technologies. From extended right-to-work requirements to smart glasses privacy risks and nuclear energy developments in the UAE, these articles examine critical legal challenges facing businesses and organizations today.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System underwent its first major overhaul in 20 years on 23 June 2026, consolidating 29 hazards into 21 categories with new assessment procedures and statutory guidance. These changes affect how local councils inspect properties and enforce housing standards, while also impacting tenants' rights to bring fitness for human habitation claims against landlords. Understanding the new framework is essential for both landlords facing potential enforcement action and tenants li

Building owners and leaseholders now have access to expanded government funding through the Cladding Safety Scheme, which has been extended to include multi-occupied residential buildings under 11 metres in height. Applications for this targeted funding open on 17 August 2026 and close on 9 October 2026, with priority given to buildings presenting the most critical fire safety risks as assessed under the PAS9980 code of practice. Only the building's Responsible Entity can apply, and early submission is cruc

A serious incident has occurred, the regulator is investigating, and an invitation to attend an interview under caution arrives. This stage of a health and safety investigation requires calm, strategic handling rather than panic, as the reality is more nuanced than the dramatic scenarios many imagine.

The widow of Stanley Rogers, who died from mesothelioma after working at Sellafield Nuclear Power Station and ICI Wilton Chemical Industries, is seeking former colleagues to provide crucial information about...

Workplace falls remain a significant cause of injury across all sectors, with HSE data revealing that slips, trips and falls on the same level account for 30% of employer-reported non-fatal injuries, while falls from height continue to be the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents. Understanding the common hazards—from wet floors and obstructed walkways to unsafe ladders and unprotected edges—is essential for employers seeking to meet their legal duties and reduce the risk of serious harm.

The family of an 81-year-old Carnforth man who died from mesothelioma after working as an electrical engineer in the 1960s is seeking former colleagues to provide crucial information about asbestos exposure at a Lancaster factory. Witnesses who worked at Jas Williamson & Son Limited or Nairn-Williamson Limited during that period, particularly those with knowledge of industrial ovens and maintenance work involving asbestos insulation, could help establish how Tony Allen contracted the fatal disease that rema

Law firm Slater and Gordon warns parents about the serious health risks posed by asbestos contamination in children's toys and craft kits, following over 100 product recalls from major UK retailers since early 2026. Industrial Disease Solicitor Ryan O'Hara explains how contaminated play sand imported from overseas quarries can release dangerous asbestos fibres during normal play, potentially causing fatal lung cancer decades later.