HSE recently released its priorities for 2025 and 2026. This blog provides an overview of the types of inspections that will be conducted throughout the UK during this period.
HSE’s Health-Focused Inspection Drive: 2025-2026
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is setting its sights on a significant shift in its inspection strategy for 2025-2026, with a renewed emphasis on occupational hygiene and health. The goal is to dedicate more resources to proactive health measures, ultimately reducing risks and better protecting workers across various environments.
Unlike safety compliance, addressing health risks often involves a more intricate assessment of long-term management and control measures. This complexity is why the HSE will be channelling its inspection efforts into areas with the greatest potential for improved worker well-being and reduced ill-health.
Key areas for these targeted inspections include:
- Hazardous Substances and Agents: Expect scrutiny of how organisations manage risks associated with asbestos, noise, hazardous dust, and exposures to radiation, lead, and chromium VI. A particular focus will be on ensuring robust preventive controls are in place for occupational lung diseases, specifically those arising from exposure to respirable crystalline silica, dusty ingredients in bakeries, and isocyanates.
- Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs): Inspections will also delve into the measures employers have implemented to prevent and mitigate MSDs, a prevalent cause of work-related ill health.
- Work-Related Stress and Aggression: The HSE will be checking for clear, practical controls designed to prevent workers’ exposure to factors causing work-related stress, including instances of violence and aggression in the workplace.
- Health Surveillance and Support Services: Compliance with legally mandated health surveillance will be a critical check, extending to the quality of external consultancy and occupational health services that organisations rely on.
- Legionella Prevention: Expect the HSE to verify that dutyholders have established and are adhering to clear protocols for preventing Legionella outbreaks, ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
This proactive inspection program underscores the HSE’s commitment to creating healthier, safer workplaces by tackling complex occupational health challenges head-on.
Call Upon Experts
At Synergy, we pride ourselves on helping our customers navigate the regulatory and technical complexities of occupational hygiene and health assessments, monitoring and control plans. Our team of experienced and qualified consultants work with health and safety professionals and the wider team to provide unobtrusive and accurate testing and monitoring, as well as using our HSE know-how to advise and suggest the best ways to stay compliant and keep your workplace safe.
If you need an expert in COSHH, noise control, and health surveillance, get in touch with Synergy to speak to a consultant.
Further Reading
We’ve put together several articles to help you understand the intricacies of HSE compliance and to answer questions you might have.
- Is Your Workplace Noise Compliant?
Detailing everything from risks, noise exposure limits and action values, to risk assessments and control measures, this detailed blog should answer a lot of your questions. - A Guide to Preventing Occupational Lung Disease
A guide to preventing occupational lung disease and remaining COSHH compliant with a focus on silica dust, dusty ingredients, and isocyanates. - Eliminating and Managing MSDs
Speak to Synergy to obtain advice from our Occupational Health Nurse.
- HSE Guidance for Violence and Aggression at Work
- HSE Asbestos Guidance
- Legionella Prevention
Talk to our friends at SAS Water, who specialise in Legionella control.
