HSE prosecutions: 5 cases and £716,000 in fines, week of 2 Nov 2026
Industry news 3 min read
HSE reported 5 prosecution cases in the week beginning 2 November 2026, with £716,000 in fines. The most common failure: workplace transport. What went wrong and how to avoid it.
Courses in this guide: IOSH Working Safely, IOSH Managing Safely, Health and Safety Awareness (HSA)
In the week beginning 2 November 2026, HSE reported 5 prosecution cases with £716,000 in fines. Most followed a worker being hurt or killed, and every one came down to a risk that wasn't managed. Here's what went wrong, and the training that stops it happening on your site.
Cases in Yorkshire, the North East and the East Midlands
- North Yorkshire: Ask Scaffolding Limited fined £16,000 plus £8,000 costs after a fall from height. Breach of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Read HSE's report
Cases elsewhere in the UK
- A company prosecuted after a workplace transport incident. Breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Read HSE's report
- Halford Commercial Fleet Services Limited fined £600,000 plus £24,203 costs after a workplace transport incident. Breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Read HSE's report
- AJ Riley Landscapes and Building Limited fined £20,000 plus £4,955 costs after a fall from height. Breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Read HSE's report
- Duni Poppies Limited fined £80,000 plus £4,756 costs after a worker was hurt by unsafe machinery. Breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Read HSE's report
What went wrong, and how to avoid it
Workplace transport (2 cases)
Reversing vehicles, forklifts and poor separation of people and vehicles cause many serious incidents. Employers must assess the risks, plan safe traffic routes and keep pedestrians apart from moving vehicles. Site managers and supervisors learn to plan and enforce that on SMSTS and SSSTS, and managers in any industry on IOSH Managing Safely.
Training that covers this: SMSTS, SSSTS, Managing Safely.
We can also audit your site traffic management. Talk to us about consultancy.
Work at height (2 cases)
Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of death and serious injury at work. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require every job at height to be properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people, using the right equipment. Supervisors and site managers learn how to plan and check that work on SSSTS and SMSTS.
Training that covers this: SSSTS, SMSTS, HSA.
We can also write the risk assessment and method statement for the job. Talk to us about consultancy.
Machinery and work equipment (1 case)
PUWER (the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) requires machinery to be suitable, maintained and properly guarded, and the people using it to be trained. Most guarding failures are found by a manager who knows what to look for: that's what IOSH Managing Safely and the NEBOSH General Certificate teach.
Training that covers this: Managing Safely, Working Safely, NEBOSH General.
We can also inspect your machinery and safe systems of work. Talk to us about consultancy.
A fine is only part of the cost
On top of the fine come legal costs, time lost to the investigation, the injured worker's absence, higher insurance and damage to your reputation with clients and principal contractors. Training your supervisors and managers costs a fraction of that, and competence is one of the first things HSE looks at after an incident: were the people planning and supervising the work trained to do it?
Book a place on a course date, train your whole team in-house at your site, or ask us for health and safety consultancy: RAMS, CDM 2015 support, audits and fire risk assessments.
Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.
Published by Site Safety Training on 9 November 2026. Course rules and card schemes can change: if you're unsure what applies to you, call 07939 593032 or check with the awarding body.