The Human Cost of Poor Safety Management
In November 2025, the Health and Safety Executive published the key Health and Safety Statistics for 2024/2025. These statistics show 124 workers were killed in work related accidents and nearly 60,000 employee work related injuries were reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations).
Case Study: Recycling company fined after employee suffers life-changing injuries in telehandler incident
In March 2024 a worker was crushed against a wall by a reversing telehandler. The worker suffered numerous fractures along with nerve damage to one of his arms and internal organ injuries. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company allowed workers to work in the yard whilst vehicles operated alongside them. Additionally, the company had not undertaken a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and failed to implement adequate control measures for the safe segregation of vehicles and pedestrians. The worker spent two weeks in hospital and in their personal statement said: “My incident has caused my family great distress. They permanently worry about me; they never thought that I wouldn’t be safe in work. They say you never expect to see your child go off to work and to get a phone call to say that they have had an incident and might not survive.”
Human Cost
As well as the physical injuries sustained in any workplace accident, we must also consider other areas that will impact the workers as well as their families. In relation to the worker:
- What will be the quality of their lives be afterwards?
- Will they need to undergo rehabilitation for the injuries they have sustained?
- Will there be any long-term impacts such as adaptions required to their home environment?
- How will it affect their mental health?
- How will the injuries sustained affect their relationships with their families and friends?
Legal Duties
Employers must comply with the following:
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act: This primary piece of health and safety legislation stipulates the employer’s responsibilities for the safety and health of their employees, as well as any other person that could be affected by their work activities.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations: Mandates the requirement for employers to complete suitable and sufficient risk assessments for the activities that their employees complete.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations: These regulations cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues and apply to most workplaces.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations: Sets specific regulatory requirements for employers to provide work equipment that is fit for the intended use, is safe, and is used safely by competent operators.
Summary
All work activities can present hazards that if overlooked can be fatal, could cause significant harm or ill health.
It is imperative that employers conduct site-specific risk assessments that identify hazards and implement essential control measures to prevent harm to their employees and anyone affected by their business.
