HSE is continuing to carry out spot checks and inspections on all types of businesses, in all areas, to ensure they are working safely to reduce the risk of COVID. During the spot checks, HSE provides advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors. However, where some businesses are not managing this, we will take immediate action. This can range from providing specific advice, issuing enforcement notices, and stopping certain work practices until they are made safe. Where businesses fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution. We recently prosecuted a construction contractor following a spot inspection. Working to manage the transmission of COVID means businesses need to conduct a risk assessment to understand the measures they may require to protect workers and others. Further information is available on working safely during the pandemic. A shopfitting company has been fined after an employee suffered multiple fractures after falling from scaffolding. HSE's investigation found that the safety rail had not been fixed in place correctly, causing it to give way when the employee fell against it. It also found that the tower scaffold had not been erected by somebody with the appropriate skills, knowledge and training. Read this press release for more details. Our website has guidance for those working with tower scaffolding. Other recent enforcement news includes:  As an employer, you must either display the HSE-approved law poster, or provide each of your workers with the equivalent leaflet. There are various versions of the poster, so you can select the most appropriate for your business. You can: HSE provides health and safety law pocket cards. These are also a legal alternative to the law poster and are easy to distribute for your employees to carry with them. | HSE has issued a safety notice following an investigation into an explosion of a high-voltage (HV) circuit breaker. The recent investigation indicated maintenance may have been a causal factor. The incident resulted in catastrophic failure of the HV circuit breaker, leading to fire/explosion, and could have resulted in fatal injuries. Maintenance of HV and low-voltage circuit breakers typically involves both the cleaning and lubricating of the operating mechanism. The HSE investigation found that the same product was used for both maintenance activities, but evidence shows that the product was only suitable for cleaning and not lubrication. It is essential that the correct product is used for each task. View the safety notice for full details.  There are a range of upcoming virtual and in-person events, training workshops and webinars organised by HSE or where we have significant involvement. Upcoming highlights include: View our upcoming schedule | | 
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