Making a difference
Manufacturers have been warned they could face significant fines and enforced shutdowns if they don’t address important workplace health issues. According to new figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 1.9 million people suffered from work-related illness in 2024/2025, a rise of 200,000 from the same time last year. The increase was mainly driven by cases of stress, depression and anxiety, which went up from 776,000 to 946,000.
A new HSE strategy is focusing on workplace health through six categories: manual handling; display screen equipment, COSHH, noise, mental health and stress. This means inspections will focus as much on health as on safety, and businesses will be asked what measures they are taking to prevent issues.
Manufacturers’ organisation Make UK has warned that unlike safety, where the risks are more obvious and immediate, understanding health impacts can be more challenging. The effects can also take longer to emerge, meaning employers could face prosecution in the future. Chris Newson, Director of Environment, Health and Safety at Make UK, said: “This is a welcome move from HSE to place workplace health on the same footing as safety in terms of importance given the alarming increase in workplace health issues. Manufacturers need to be aware of this dramatic new focus on enforcement by HSE and ensure they are addressing health as part of their routine controls for safety in the workplace.
“This will come up more and more when inspections take place and companies need to ensure they have sufficient processes in place to maintain workplace health and controls to ensure these processes are working. Failure to do this will leave them at risk of potential prosecution and, in extreme circumstances, shutdowns until the issue is resolved.”
