Safety Smart Update Winter 2026
26th February 2026 Posted in Blogs
Welcome to Safety Smart’s Winter 2026 Update.
It’s still winter, still pretty chilly but signs of spring are on the way, lighter evenings, bulbs in the garden, and we’re almost at the close of February.
In this edition, we’re taking a look at Stress At Work as part of the HSE’s ongoing Working Minds Campaign. With 22.1 million working days lost to stress in 2024/25, it’s an important issue which isn’t going away anytime soon. We’re also looking at the responsibilities for employers when it comes to drug and alcohol misuse at work plus an update on the CLC Mental Health Project.
We’ve also got industry case studies, including hefty fines for preventable injuries and a tale of inspection avoidance (reader, it does not turn out well)
Alcohol Misuse At Work
As an employer, you have a legal duty to protect workers’ health, safety and welfare. Ensure you know how to manage drug and alcohol misuse at work.
Understanding the signs of drug and alcohol misuse (or abuse) will help you manage health and safety risks in your workplace.
CLC’s Mental Health project
As a priority focus area from its Health Safety and Well-Being Summit last year, the CLC launched a mental health in construction consultation in September 2025.
You can learn more about the significant progress made on this project below.
Stress At Work: The Impact
Work-related stress is a serious issue that affects both individuals and businesses. In 2024/25, 964,000 workers experienced work-related stress, depression, or anxiety, leading to 22.1 million working days lost.
HSE Inspections tackling exposure to flour dust
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is carrying out a series of inspections at large bakeries across Great Britain from January 2026. Inspectors will check that employers are properly protecting workers from the dangers of dusty ingredients including flour dust.
Case Studies
£187,600 fine following 18-year-old apprentice’s life-changing injury
A manufacturing company has been fined £187,600 after the shirt of an apprentice became caught in machinery, resulting in three broken ribs and injuries requiring skin grafts.
Plant hire company fined £10,000 after employee struck by falling JCB bucket
A plant hire company has been fined after a mechanic suffered life-changing injuries when a JCB bucket fell on him while he was helping to repair a tipper truck
James Bond finds an HSE inspection is no time to lie
A site manager has been prosecuted after obstructing Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors and making threats of violence when they attempted to address unsafe work at height on a refurbishment project in Staffordshire
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