Hazards news

USA: MSHA set to weaken miners’ silica protections
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration is preparing to revisit and likely weaken a new silica rule that was due to halve allowable exposure levels and expand medical monitoring for miners. The rule, introduced under the Biden administration, has faced repeated delays by the Trump administration following industry pressure, despite rising rates of black lung linked to silica dust and warnings from miners’ advocates that further postponements will lead to more preventable disease and death.
Confined Space. 5 December 2025

Europe: How climate change is harming the workplace
A report from International SOS Risk warns extreme heat, driven by climate change, is emerging as a major workplace hazard, exposing more than one billion workers worldwide. Europe’s recent heatwaves, which caused thousands of deaths including that of Barcelona street cleaner Montse Aguilar, highlight growing risks. Aguilar’s death sparked local protests, including hundreds of fellow street cleaners marching through downtown Barcelona armed with banners reading: “Extreme heat is also workplace violence”. International SOS argues employers must adopt stronger heat policies as rising temperatures are cutting productivity and worsening mental health.
Euronews. 5 December 2025

Britain: Roofer sentenced after refusing to co-operate with HSE
A Cornish roofer who ignored a prohibition notice and verbally abused an inspector has been fined for refusing to provide information during an HSE investigation. Steven Hendry, 40, was found carrying out roof work without scaffolding, then continued working unsafely after the notice was issued. He failed to attend court and was arrested. At Plymouth Magistrates Court he received a £400 fine and £3,852 costs. HSE news release. 4 December 2025

Britain: NHS staff exposed to cancer-causing formaldehyde
An investigation by The Independent and Channel 4 News has revealed NHS and university laboratory staff are suffering severe, sometimes disabling respiratory illness after long-term exposure to formaldehyde. Workers are developing health problems such as chronic breathing problems and occupational asthma. One worker, Robert MIfflin the former head of mortuary services at Oxford University, suffered severe respiratory damage after years of formaldehyde exposure leaving him unable to work. Represented by Irwin Mitchell, he secured a £200,000 settlement after the university accepted it had breached its duty of care. Formaldehyde is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as carcinogenic to humans. Long-term exposure is linked to nasal tumours and leukaemia.
The Independent. 4 December 2025

Britain: Union-busting at Leicester academy amid understaffing and health concerns
At Ash Field Academy in Leicester, UNISON members voted to strike over severe understaffing, excessive workloads and escalating health and safety risks. Following the vote, union rep Tom Barker was controversially suspended, sparking accusations of union-busting by the Discovery Schools Academy Trust. UNISON, NEU, and the Bakers’ Union condemned the suspension.
The Canary. 3 December 2025

Scotland: Aberdeen politicians unite over threats to workers removing flags
Aberdeen’s political leaders have condemned threats and abuse aimed at council workers removing Union and Saltire flags to make way for Christmas lights. SNP leader Christian Allard, Labour leader Tauqeer Malik, Conservative councillor Richard Brooks, and Lib Dem councillor Ian Yuill described the behaviour as “disgraceful and completely unacceptable,” emphasising that workers deserve respect and protection while carrying out council-approved festive installations.
Morning Star. 3 December 2025

Britain: Wonderful, kind and generous man killed in forklift truck incident
Hessel Plant Ltd delivery driver Chris Keegan died after a forklift he was reversing onto a trailer in the dark fell from the side, throwing him from the seat and trapping him between the chassis and a neighbouring trailer. Hessle Plant Ltd was fined £433,550, £8,146.80 costs and a £2,000 surcharge. Mr Keegan’s widow described his death as “horrific” and said she would never recover from losing her husband in such circumstances.
HSE news release. 3 December 2025

Britain: Companies fined after apprentice fell from height installing CCTV
Security and Electrical Solutions Ltd and Total Security Systems Ltd have been fined after an apprentice fell from a ladder while installing CCTV at a school, suffering multiple fractures and long-term ill health. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found both firms failed to carry out adequate risk assessments and provide safe equipment. Security and Electrical Solutions Ltd was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £3,000 costs, while Total Security Systems Ltd received a £15,000 fine plus £2,500 costs.
HSE news release. 3 December 2025

Britain: Make UK warns employers over increased worker health focus
Make UK warns manufacturers they face heavy fines and possible shutdowns if they fail to address workplace health, as HSE inspections now prioritise health under a new ten-year strategy. Recent HSE data shows 1.9 million workers experienced work-related ill health in 2024/25, driven by a sharp rise in stress, depression and anxiety, leading to over 30 million lost working days and costing the UK about £14bn a year. Make UK urges firms to strengthen controls as inspectors increasingly probe health measures.
Make UK. 3 December 2025

Global: Creeping catastrophe as climate change fuels infectious diseases
A major international study led by Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine warns climate change, poverty and antimicrobial resistance are combining to drive a global rise in infectious diseases, creating what experts call a “creeping catastrophe”. Drawing on research from 3,752 professionals across 151 countries, the study describes how malaria, dengue and tuberculosis are escalating fastest as rising temperatures expand vector ranges. The authors argue this slow-unfolding crisis threatens health systems and requires urgent investment in surveillance, diagnostics and equitable global research.
University of Oxford news release. 2 December 2025

Britain: Prison staff beg for help as mental-health absences soar
A BBC investigation has tracked a steep rise in mental-health absences among prison staff in England, with almost 150,000 working days lost last year and numbers taking leave increasing from 3,535 in 2019 to 5,478 in 2024. Officers describe traumatic incidents, violence and inadequate support, including at HMP Guys Marsh, where more than a third of staff took mental-health sick days. Former and serving officers recount dealing with suicides and assaults while understaffed. The Prison Officer’s Association says the service must fund specialist on-site mental-health support.
BBC news online. 2 December 2025

Britain: Penzance hospital faces lawsuit over alleged asbestos exposure
Former cleaners have filed a lawsuit against West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance, claiming they were exposed to asbestos while working at the facility. The plaintiffs allege that the hospital failed to provide adequate safety measures or warnings about the presence of asbestos, which they believe caused serious health issues. The case highlights ongoing concerns about asbestos management in older NHS buildings. The hospital trust has not yet commented publicly on the allegations.
Cornwall Live. 2 December 2025

Australia: Asbestos found in turbines at major wind farms
An AUS$1 billion wind farm at Clarke Creek, backed by Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, has become the latest to confirm asbestos in turbine lift brake pads, supplied by Chinese-backed manufacturer Goldwind. The company had already identified the same issue at Tasmania’s Cattle Hill wind farm. Squadron Energy, Forrest’s subsidiary, said the asbestos-containing pads across the site’s 100 turbines are being removed and no airborne asbestos has been detected.It has been illegal to import asbestos-containing goods into Australia since 2003.
Sky news Australia. 2 December 2025

Britain: RMT warns of rising violence amid transport police cuts
RMT has warned that assaults on rail workers have surged at the same time as British Transport Police presence is being reduced across the network. Official figures show attacks rose by 17 per cent over the summer and nearly 13 per cent across the year, with 2,299 incidents recorded between June and August. The union says BTP staffing shortfalls are leaving officers too thinly spread, noting BTP’s own admission that recent higher deployment relied on unsustainable 12-hour shifts and overtime.
Morning Star. 2 December 2025

Europe: Council says new chemicals limits will save 1,700 cancer deaths
EU employment ministers have backed the sixth revision of the carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances directive, updating exposure limits in line with new scientific evidence. The changes include limits for cobalt, PAHs and 1,4-dioxane, and add welding fumes to Annex I for the first time. The Council further introduced an exposure limit for isoprene and updated key definitions to reflect reprotoxic risks. The revision is expected to prevent around 1,700 lung cancer cases and 19,000 other illnesses over 40 years.
Council of the EU news release. 1 December 2025

Britain: Amazon managers warn of Black Friday “crisis”
Amazon warehouse managers say they are breaking down under pressure to work more than 60 hours a week in the run-up to Black Friday and Christmas. Managers report severe stress, colleagues “breaking down,” and 14-hour days despite nominal 40-hour contracts. GMB organiser Amanda Gearing said the revelations show why Amazon staff are joining the union.
Morning Star. 28 November 2025

Britain: Firm fined after wind farm worker suffers life-changing injuries
Natural Power Services Limited has been fined eighty thousand pounds after a 38 year old worker suffered serious and life-changing injuries during maintenance at Tom Nan Clach Wind Farm near Inverness.
HSE news release. 28 November 2025

Britain: Stove manufacturer fined after worker loses leg
Isle of Wight stove manufacturer A.J. Wells & Sons Ltd has been fined £200,000 with £9,056 costs after a worker's legs were crushed. His legs were crushed when more than 600kg of sheet metal fell from an unsuitable trolley. His lower right right had to ne amputated. HSE found unsafe equipment, unclear routes and inadequate training, and noted lessons had not been learned from a similar incident in 2021.
HSe news release. 28 November 2025

Britain: RMT warns of national ballot over assaults on railway staff
The RMT has put train companies on notice over rising assaults on staff, following two violent incidents at East Midlands Railway (EMR) where employees were attacked with hot water and a fire extinguisher during a football-related brawl. Members have complained of reduced British Transport Police presence, faulty or inadequate safety equipment and a lack of meaningful engagement from the employer. Members also said they have exhausted all internal company processes, but no effective action has been taken to address the daily risks they face.The union has warned it will launch a national strike ballot if these safety concerns are not addressed.
RMT news release. 26 November 2025

Britain: Roofing company fined after worker falls through skylight
Northampton roofing company Kingsley Roofing Contractors Limited has been fined £16,650 after employee Ryan Robinson, 31, fell more than three metres through a skylight opening while preparing a flat roof on Sywell Road. He required surgery and long-term treatment for his serious injuries. An HSE investigation found Kingsley Roofing Contractors Limited had failed to properly plan work at height or implement safety measures such as crash decks or safety netting. The company was also ordered to pay £7,205 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.
HSE news release. 25 November 2025

Britain: Major investment in fire services urged amid rising climate danger
Environmental and tax justice groups have joined the Fire Brigades Union in urging Chancellor Rachel Reeves to use the 26 November budget to “fund the frontline response to the climate crisis.” In a letter the groups warned the UK is dangerously under-prepared for escalating wildfire and flooding risks. The letter highlighted the loss of one in five firefighter jobs since 2010 pointing to this year’s record wildfire season, including the Holt Heath blaze that required 17 services and exposed shortages in specialist PPE. The letter called for significant central funding, a statutory duty for English fire services to respond to flooding and a UK-wide wildfire resilience strategy.
FBU news release. 25 November 2025

Britain: Family seek answers after asbestos death of West Cumbrian man
The family of 78-year-old John Martin Rogerson, who died of mesothelioma, are appealing for former work colleagues to help uncover how he was exposed to asbestos. Irwin Mitchell solicitors are investigating his time at High Duty Alloys and Fischer and Porter in Lillyhall where he worked as a toolmaker on Concorde components between 1961 and 1974. Anyone with information about the working conditions Martin faced should contact Mollie Towell at Irwin Mitchell on 0114 217 2349 or by email at Mollie.Towell@IrwinMitchell.com
Cumbria Crack. 25 November 2025

India: Unions stage nationwide protests over new labour codes
Ten major Indian trade unions staged coordinated nationwide protests against the government’s new labour codes, which they described as a “deceptive fraud” against workers. Millions of labourers and farmers took part in demonstrations across the country, accusing the government of eroding job security, weakening collective bargaining and increasing employer control.
San Francisco Chronicle. 24 November 2025

North of Ireland: Harbour authority fined after fatal shovel-loader incident
Warrenpoint Harbour Authority was fined £80,000 for health and safety breaches after 58 year old employee Kevin McGeough was struck and run over by a 20-tonne Volvo shovel loader 1 on 18 July 2019. He had been cleaning and power-washing near active vehicle routes when the machine, carrying two tonnes of wood chip, hit him, causing fatal injuries. Investigators from HSENI and PSNI found pedestrian routes were neither segregated nor protected.
The Construction Index. 24 November 2025

Britain: Company fined after 18-year-old breaks arm in workplace incident
A Swadlincote conveyor systems manufacturer, Isoma Limited, was fined £16,000, £4,357.77 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge after an 18-year-old employee broke his arm when it became entangled in a manual lathe while deburring with emery cloth. The HSE found Isoma had failed to provide a safe system of work or a risk assessment for this task.
HSE news release. 24 November 2025

Britain: Open letter says Amazon managers suffering under work pressure
A group of operations and area managers at Amazon’s UK fulfilment centres has called on MPs to investigate claims that excessive workloads are affecting mental health. The managers report routinely working over 60 hours a week, despite contracts stating 40 hours, with several suffering stress-related problems and breakdowns. An open letter to bosses letter alleges systemic problems, including dropping stress-related employee survey questions and high manager turnover. Amanda Gearing of the GMB said only a union can now resolve these issues.
The Mirror. 23 November 2025

Britain: RMT survey shows serious dock, port and waterway safety concerns
A new RMT survey of workers in docks, ports and waterways has revealed widespread dissatisfaction over pay, safety and working conditions. Thirty-four per cent of respondents reported inadequate wages, while 28 per cent highlighted health and safety concerns linked to equipment standards and site conditions. A further 22 per cent cited fatigue, long hours and insufficient breaks. Workers rated the sector’s safety culture at just five out of ten with around 10 per cent reporting poor equipment and infrastructure.
RMT news release. 21 November 2025

Britain: Much loved man died ‘due to cost of 50 pence screw’
Alban Watts, aged 61, was killed on 11 January 2023 at egg producer Bell Mount Farming Limited in Great Salkeld when his clothes became entangled in an unguarded rotating sprocket on a hen-feeding system. The guard was unfixed, its bolt holes stripped and misaligned, leaving the dangerous parts exposed. His family said his life had been lost “for the cost of a 50p screw.” The company pleaded guilty and was fined £50,000 with £6,038 in costs.
HSE news release. 21 November 2025

Britain: Manufacturing firm fined after driver suffers life-changing fall
Penn Elcom Limited was fined £80,000 with £4,537.32 costs after a visiting driver fell from an HGV trailer during loading on 18 November 2024. The cage he was moving toppled when a wheel stuck, and as he stepped back he fell from the trailer, sustaining a brain injury and multiple fractures.
HSE news release. 21 November 2025

Britain: Death of hospital worker linked to extreme work stress
An inquest heard that Royal Cornwall Hospital lab scientist Adam Spoors, 39, died after falling into the River Kenwyn while in a state of exhaustion-induced delirium. He had been working lone 12-hour night shifts, contrary to staffing guidelines, and was under pressure in a temporary senior role. The coroner said he was engulfed by “a perfect storm” of work-related stress. He died from hypothermia caused by cold water immersion triggered by acute stress. His widow said the death was wholly preventable.
Cornwall Live. 20 November 2025

Britain: Unions set out demands for a just transition for fossil fuel workers
An online event on 10 December organised by the Just Transition Partnership, will examine what a genuine just transition should deliver for Scotland’s fossil fuel workforce as unions warn government promises have not produced real jobs or retraining pathways. Speakers include Unite’s John Boland and Chris Hamilton, Catrina Randall from Friends of the Earth Scotland, Laurie Macfarlane of Future Economy Scotland and Francis Stuart of the Scottish Trade Union Congress. Organisers say growing frustration among affected workers and communities must shape a fair, worker-led transition.
Eventrbrite sign up. 20 November 2025

Korea: Union raises alarm over health crisis from excessive overnight work
During the 11th UNI Apro East Asia Trade Unions Forum the Korean Federation of Service Workers’ Unions (KFSU) warned of severe overwork among courier workers due to overnight delivery schedules. Workers reported long night shifts with minimal breaks, chronic fatigue, musculoskeletal injuries, immune disorders and a death ruled as an occupational disease linked to delivery pressure. KFSU called for limits on night work, corporate responsibility to reduce overwork, government intervention, and regional union solidarity to protect worker health in logistics.
UNI news release. 19 November 2025

Britain: Women transport workers left without safe toilet facilities
RMT has revealed widespread welfare failings that leave women transport workers without safe toilet access, with only three per cent of overhead line staff always able to reach facilities. Testimony describes women limiting water intake, lacking sanitary waste bins and even being issued a she wee and mini tent. RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said employers are breaching basic dignity and legal duties.
RMT news release. 19 November 2025

Palestine: Asbestos - the silent killer in Gaza’s rubble
In Gaza, residents returning to bombed homes face a hidden hazard as asbestos-laden dust lingers in the air. Fares Al-Hwaiti, 42, and his children developed coughs and chest pain after spending days in rubble without protection, later learning they had inhaled asbestos fibres. The UN estimates more than 60 million tons of debris across Gaza, much containing white asbestos from damaged roofs. Environmental scientist Dr Abdul Fattah Abdul Rabbo warned exposure without proper masks poses severe long-term risks, but scarce resources leave many unable to follow safety advice, making survival beyond the bombing equally dangerous.
Yemen News Agency (Saba). 18 November 2025

Singapore: Environment agency fined S$230,000 over fatal plant explosion
The National Environment Agency was fined S$230,000 for workplace safety failures that led to two employees' deaths in a 2021 explosion at Tuas Incineration Plant. The technicians died while troubleshooting a faulty industrial fan when a circuit breaker was improperly disconnected while live, causing an arc flash. The court found NEA failed to maintain a proper permit-to-work system, provide adequate protective equipment and establish safe work procedures. 
Channel News Asia. 18 November 2025

Europe: ETUI conference on AI and work safety
The European Trade Union Institute will hold its annual occupational safety and health conference on 11-12 December in Brussels focusing on AI's impact on workplaces. The event will examine how artificial intelligence machine learning and algorithmic management are transforming work organisation and creating new safety risks. 
Further details from ETUI. 18 November 2025

Britain: Teacher wellbeing hits record low with a third at risk of depression
Pollling for Education Support's latest Teacher Wellbeing Index has revealed 77 per cent of teachers are feeling stressed. Overall staff wellbeing is at its lowest level since 2019. The survey found 36 per cent of teachers are at risk of probable clinical depression. National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede warned of a "system in crisis.
Morning Star. 18 November 2025

Europe: TUAC to host webinar on PFAS chemicals and worker safety
The Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD will hold a webinar on December 12th addressing PFAS exposure in workplaces. Titled PFAS and Occupational Safety and Health the session will examine how these forever chemicals affect workers' health. The webinar features panelists from the OECD and ILO.
Sign up and further details. 18 November 2025

USA: Senators propose PPE for wildland firefighters amid concerns over practicality
A new bipartisan bill, the Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act, would require federal wildland firefighters to use approved respirators when smoke exposure exceeds limits, addressing long-standing risks of lung cancer and premature death from inhaling wildfire toxins. The bill mandates consultation with OSHA and NIOSH. Firefighters welcome the proposal but caution heavy or ill-suited equipment could hinder operations in rugged terrain.
Yahoo news. 17 November 2025

Britain: £16,500 fine after worker sustains life-changing injuries in fall
Hope improvement company Goliath Home World Limited was fined £16,500 with £5,994.55 costs after a worker suffered life-changing injuries in a fall from height during gutter replacement work. The employee sustained fractures to his shoulder, arm, eye socket and nose when he fell approximately seven feet from a shed roof.
HSE news release. 17 November 2025

Britain: Workers removing flags face ‘unacceptable’ abuse
Councils across the North West of England have reported rising abuse and threats against contractors tasked with removing unauthorised flags from public property. Trafford council paused removals after a worker was abused in the street and later threatened online when his personal details were posted. A Salford subcontractor was filmed being pulled from a ladder, while Liverpool councillor Alan Gibbons said he felt intimidated after being followed and filmed when questioning men putting up flags with political, racial and religious slogans.
BBC News online. 17 November 2025

Britain Manufacturing company fined £600,000 after worker death
Systagenix Wound Management Manufacturing Limited was fined £600,000 and £15,000 costs after employee Tony Snowden died when a 592kg pallet fell and trapped him against a wall. The incident occurred at the company's Gargrave facility in September 2020 when improperly stacked 'Nelipak' pallets collapsed. An HSE investigation found the company failed to conduct adequate risk assessments regarding load height weight and stability.
HSE news release. 17 November 2025

Britain: Survey reveals two-thirds of UK nurses work while unwell
A Royal College of Nursing survey of more than 20,000 nursing staff has found that 66 per cent work while unwell, a significant increase from 49 per cent in 2017. The research identified stress as the leading cause of illness, affecting 65 per cent of respondents, while 70 per cent reported regularly working beyond their contracted hours, with half doing so unpaid. With over 25,000 nursing vacancies across England, RCN Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger stated that understaffing is driving workers to ill health.
The Guardian. 17 November 2025

Britain: Staff concerns after ILO considers moving Middle East HQ to Qatar
The International Labour Organization is considering relocating its Middle East headquarters from Beirut to Doha despite staff concerns. Nearly 80 per cent of ILO staff surveyed oppose the relocation warning it risks "normalising weak labour standards" in a region dominated by migrant workers with limited rights. Qatar has ratified only five of ten fundamental ILO conventions and bans trade unions.
FT news. 16 November 2025

Argentina: Petrochemical plant explosion near Buenos Aires kills 20
A major blast at a petrochemical plant outside Buenos Aires killed 20 workers and injured around 20 others, according to local officials. Drone footage showed flames rising high above the site as rescue crews fought the fire and worked to secure the area.
Gulf Times. 15 November 2025

Global: AI ethics guidelines show significant gaps in worker protections
A comprehensive ILO review of 245 global AI ethics guidelines has found that while ethical principles are converging, most frameworks fail to address adequately worker protections and labour rights. Researchers warn that without stronger connection to established labour standards AI ethics principles risk remaining abstract and unenforceable.
ILO. 14 November 2025

Britain: Time pressure and lack of training adding to workers' risks
Nearly half of construction workers admit taking safety shortcuts while working at height to complete jobs on time despite falls being the leading cause of workplace fatalities. Institution of Occupational Safety and Health research showed one-fifth of workers received no safety training for working at height while one in seven felt pressured by employers to ignore safety protocols.
IOSH news. 13 November 2025

India: Trade deal tilted towards corporations, warns workers’ association
The Indian Workers’ Association has criticised the UK-India Free Trade Agreement signed in July 2025, warning it favours multinational companies and elite professionals while offering nothing to ordinary Indian or migrant workers in Britain. The deal allows around 75,000 highly skilled Indian staff on temporary UK assignments to avoid paying National Insurance. But the vast majority of workers - including delivery drivers, carers, shop staff, factory employees and construction workers - have been left entirely outside the scope of the agreement.
Morning Star. 13 November 2025

Australia: Australian firefighters lead global union fight against PFAS
FBU's Firefighter magazine reports how Australian firefighters, led by the United Firefighters Union of Australia, spent a decade exposing the dangers of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ in foams and PPE, creating a model now shared with UK crews. They uncovered contamination in supposedly PFAS-free foams, equipment and station land, and pioneered soil ‘locking’ and strict decontamination. Working with researchers, they reduced PFAS levels in firefighters’ blood through targeted donations and expanded free cancer screening, while pushing global bans and securing presumptive cancer laws.
The Firefighter - June/July 2025. 13 November 2025

Britain: Inequalities worsen as Ofsted 'attacks' special needs inclusive schools
An NFER report shows deepening inequalities in special needs provision as some schools block admissions, leaving inclusive schools supporting far higher numbers of pupils with special educational needs. NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said the findings reveal that some schools actively avoid Send students while those that welcome them face pressure from Ofsted and wider accountability measures, despite building strong inclusive practice.
Morning Star. 13 November 2025

Britain: Daughter seeks information on father’s asbestos exposure
David Cockman’s daughter is appealing for witnesses who could help explain how her father was exposed to asbestos while working for Wellman Incandescent Furnace Co between 1967 and 1973. His roles involved servicing furnaces with asbestos-lagged pipes and working in submarine engine rooms. Diagnosed with mesothelioma in March 2024 he suffered paralysis after immunotherapy and died four months later at 83. Leigh Day’s asbestos team is investigating and urges former Wellmans workers to come forward. Contact: Kevin Johnson at KTJohnson@leighday.co.uk or call 0151 305 2766.
Evesham Journal. 12 November 2025

Australia: Unions say climate crisis is now a core work health and safety issue
The ACTU says climate change is already harming workers and that adapting to rising heat, worsening air quality and more violent weather is now core union business. Its new position paper warns Australia’s work health and safety framework is failing to protect workers from climate hazards, with no specific regulations for extreme heat, poor air quality, inclement weather or vector-borne disease. Unions argue that without urgent reform, employers will continue to fall short of their duty to eliminate or minimise foreseeable risks, leaving workers exposed as heat, disasters and illness intensify.
ACTU. 12 November 2025.

Britain: Building safety regulator to leave HSE and become independent body
New regulations laid before Parliament will separate the Building Safety Regulator from the Health and Safety Executive on 27 January 2026, creating a standalone watchdog reporting directly to the housing secretary. Ministers said the change will strengthen accountability and provide a single national focus on higher-risk building safety.
Construction Enquirer. 12 November 2025

Britain: ONS cuts reports to restore core data quality
The ONS will scrap around ten per cent of its publications next year as part of a recovery plan to rebuild the reliability of its core statistics after concerns from the Treasury and OBR. Problems with the labour force survey, caused by collapsing response rates, have left policymakers “flying blind”. The agency said narrowing its focus, reducing health outputs and reviewing crime data will allow resources to be redirected to strengthening key economic and social datasets and rebuilding trust.
The Guardian. 12 November 2025

USA: Centre launches nationwide cancer screening for firefighters
Vincere Cancer Center has launched the first national cancer screening programme for firefighters and first responders, formalising work that has already seen more than 4,000 people screened and detected over 400 cancers.
FITT Insider. 12 November 2025

Britain: UNISON warns rising racist rhetoric is putting NHS staff at risk
UNISON head of health Helga Pile has warned that growing racist and anti-immigration rhetoric is leaving NHS staff fearful as a new NHS Providers survey shows rising discrimination from patients and the public. She said nurses, healthcare assistants and other workers must be protected from harassment and that employers and ministers must strengthen safeguards, particularly for overseas staff working in communities caring for vulnerable people.
UNISON news release. 18 November 2025

Hong Kong: McDonald’s fails workers with disabilities
McDonald’s Hong Kong has faced criticism for the abusive treatment of workers with disabilities, despite hiring them to boost its public image. The IUF Asia/Pacific highlights that such mistreatment undermines workers’ confidence, self-esteem, and well-being. The union stresses that simply firing individual managers is insufficient; the company must ensure secure, inclusive jobs with proper training for all managers and co-workers.
IUF Asia/Pacific. 11 November 2025

Britain: Plastics firm fined £277,500 after fatal machinery accident
Reflex Flexible Packaging Ltd has been fined £277,500 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs after employee Paul Whalley, 46, died when he became trapped in an unguarded plastic conversion machine at the company’s Langley Mill factory. HSE investigations found the firm failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment, install appropriate guarding, or provide safe systems of work. The company identified gaps in their risk assessments 18 months earlier but took no action.
HSE news release. 11 November 2025

Scotland: Teachers push for promised 90-minute class cut
Scottish teachers are preparing to ballot on industrial action over workload and insufficient non-teaching time. The SNP pledged nearly five years ago to cut class contact by 90 minutes a week to allow lesson planning, marking, and support for pupils with additional needs. Teachers report rising workloads, burnout, and growing numbers of children with complex needs.
BBC news online. 11 November 2025

Britain: HSE launches consultation to strengthen asbestos protections
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has opened a consultation on proposed changes to the Control of Asbestos Regulations aimed at enhancing protection for workers and building users. The plans include ensuring independence in the asbestos clearance process, improving survey standards, and clarifying rules for Notifiable Non-Licensed Work. The consultation closes on 9 January 2026.
HSE news release. 10 November 2025

USA: Rideshare and delivery driver homicides prompt hazard alert
Following the homicides of five rideshare drivers and a delivery driver in Washington state between 2020 and 2024, the state’s Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program has issued a hazard alert. All victims were working alone during late-night or early-morning hours, with three killed during carjackings and others after altercations. The alert advises employers to implement violence prevention programmes, conduct Job Hazard Analyses, train drivers, and provide dashcams. Drivers are urged to use vehicle security features, in-app emergency buttons, cameras, high-visibility warnings, remain aware of surroundings, and report incidents promptly.
Safety and Health. 10 November 2025

Britain: Family seeks answers after shopfitter’s death from asbestos cancer
Walter Freeman, a 77-year-old shopfitter from Benwell, Tyneside, died in May 2025 from mesothelioma. His family believe the cancer was caused by asbestos exposure when fitting fire doors for E Nixon & Sons between 1964 and 1969. Leigh Day Solicitors partner Steven Dickens, is investigating and has appealed for former colleagues with knowledge of asbestos use at the company to come forward: "If anyone recalls Mr Freeman or worked for this firm in the 1960s and 1970s and remembers using asbestos, Mr Freeman’s family would be most grateful if you would contact me on 0191 933 9104 or by email at sdickens@leighday.co.uk.”
Chronicle Live. 10 November 2025

Britain: Usdaw survey exposes continuing violence against retail workers
Retail union Usdaw has released its annual survey showing persistently high levels of abuse, threats and assaults against shopworkers. Of more than 3,000 respondents, 71 per cent had suffered verbal abuse, 48 per cent were threatened and 9 per cent assaulted. Launching Respect Week, general secretary Joanne Thomas welcomed government action and Labour’s proposed Crime and Policing Bill but said more must be done to protect staff.
Usdaw news release. 10 November 2025

Britain: Employers urged to act on women’s health
In a letter to The Guardian, Professor Geeta Nargund has called on employers to address health inequalities after research found 32 per cent of women receive insufficient workplace support for health issues. She cited NHS Confederation findings that gynaecological conditions cost £11bn a year in absenteeism, with many women forced to cut hours or quit.
The Guardian. 9 November 2025

Britain: BMA finds widespread sexual harassment of female medical students
Two in five female medical students have faced sexual assault or harassment, according to new research by the British Medical Association. The union said a sexist and unsafe culture risks becoming embedded in the NHS. Most victims chose not to report incidents due to fears that nothing would be done.
Morning Star. 9 November 2025

Britain: Unions and solicitors demand urgent action on silica crisis
At a Westminster meeting chaired by Thompsons Solicitors, unions, doctors and safety experts called for a UK ban on engineered stone and stronger silica exposure laws amid a surge in silicosis among young workers. Doctors reported cases rising from eight to forty-five in a year, with patients as young as 23 needing lung transplants. The TUC, Unite, and Thompsons urged greater HSE funding, tighter enforcement, and stronger union safety powers to prevent further deaths.
Thompsons solicitors news release. 7 November 2025

Britain: North Sea workers warned to lose weight or risk losing jobs
Thousands of North Sea oil workers face mandatory weight limits to continue flying offshore, with Offshore Energies UK setting a maximum of 124.7kg per worker to ensure safe winching in emergencies. Around 2,200 workers currently exceed the limit, with job losses possible in worst-case scenarios. The policy comes after a review of helicopter rescue safety. John Boland, the regional officer at the Unite union, said: "We would hope that nobody loses their job through this and there can be support put in to stop that from happening. The biggest concerns we have had are from individuals that are naturally larger built and in some cases are extremely fit but are above that actual weight limit."
BBC news online. 7 November 2025

Britain: McDonald’s starts harassment training after sex abuse allegations
McDonald’s will introduce new training on grooming and social media for managers under an expanded Equality and Human Rights Commission agreement after continued reports of sexual abuse, including of staff as young as 17. The watchdog cited “serious allegations” and said progress since 2023 had been insufficient. Ian Hodson, president of Bakers Union BFAWU, called for “real change” to protect workers.
BBC news online. 7 November 2025

Britain: TUC launches year of trade union climate action
The TUC has declared 2025-26 the Year of Trade Union Climate Action, calling on workers and unions to lead efforts tackling the climate emergency and securing a just transition. The campaign urges collective action to futureproof jobs, protect vulnerable communities and build a low-carbon economy that works for workers. Resources include toolkits for greener workplaces, health and safety guidance for a changing climate and case studies on union-led sustainability projects in manufacturing and public services.
TUC news release. 7 November 2025

Britain: RMT urges BTP funding boost after Huntingdon stabbing
RMT has called for cuts to the British Transport Police (BTP) to be reversed and for urgent action to ensure a safer, properly policed railway following a mass stabbing at Huntingdon station. The union highlighted that BTP officer numbers have fallen by almost a third since 2009, while crime and antisocial behaviour on the network have risen. RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey urged the Chancellor to fund an additional 1,000 officers in the upcoming Budget to restore safety for staff and passengers.
RMT news release. 6 November 2025

USA: Tesla shareholders approve Musk’s record $1tn pay deal amid controversy
Tesla shareholders have approved Elon Musk’s unprecedented $1 trillion pay package, with 75 per cent voting in favour at the company’s annual meeting in Texas. The deal rewards Musk if he raises Tesla’s market value to $8.5 trillion and delivers milestones including one million robotaxis. Critics, including Norway’s sovereign wealth fund and CalPERS, opposed the plan, citing governance and inequality concerns, while supporters hailed Musk as “Tesla’s biggest asset”.
BBC News. 6 November 2025

Britain: London schools to receive air filters to protect children and staff
Classrooms in over 200 London schools will be fitted with HEPA air filters under the Greater London Authority's £2.7 million School Filters Programme. Research has shown classrooms with filters to bring down PM2.5 levels by 27-68 per cent reducing harmful particulate exposure for both children and staff. Experts stress that cleaner air will benefit children’s development and safeguard staff from asthma, allergies and other air-related health issues.
CIEH news release. 6 November 2025

Britain: Dramatic rise in incidents drives FBU call for urgent funding
Ahead of Bonfire night, the Fire Brigades Union has called on the government to provide urgent funding for the fire and rescue service, citing dramatic rises in incidents. England’s services attended 165,697 fires in the year to June 2025 - a 28 per cent increase on the previous year - and 628,764 total incidents, up 25 per cent on a decade ago. Fire-related deaths rose to 279 up 21 per cent on the previous year. FBU general secretary Steve Wright warned cuts have reduced firefighter posts by 20 per cent since 2010.
FBU news release. 5 November 2025

Britain: Disability benefits back in the firing line
Unions have criticised Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working review for proposals they fear could penalise disabled workers for not returning to work. PCS warned against conditionality on health absences, Unison called for rapid workplace adjustments and GMB urged flexibility rather than pushing sick workers to the dole. While the review promotes shared responsibility for workplace health and reduced reliance on GP fit notes, unions emphasised that prevention and proper support are vital.
Morning Star. 5 November 2025

Europe: EU agrees simplified rules for chemical products
The Council has agreed its position on the final part of the “Omnibus VI” package, aimed at simplifying rules for chemicals while maintaining strong consumer and environmental protection. The EU notes the draft legislation streamlines provisions on the classification, packaging, and labelling of chemical, cosmetic and fertilising products, claiming it will reduce regulatory complexity without compromising safety standards.
Council of the EU. 5 November 2025

USA: UPS cargo plane crash kills at least seven in Kentucky
At least seven people died when a UPS cargo plane crashed while taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The aircraft exploded shortly after departure, with three crew members believed among the dead. At least 11 others were injured, and two workers at an auto business struck by debris were unaccounted for. BBC news online. 5 November 2025

Britain: Britain: IOSH says workplace review highlights need for “major surgery”
IOSH responded to the Keep Britain Working review, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, giving a qualified welcome to its focus on prevention, early intervention, and person-centred workplace health. Head of Policy Ruth Wilkinson praised the review’s recognition of the link between good work and good health but warned that political backing and funding are vital to achieve real change. She said the scale of the challenge requires “major surgery, not just sticking plasters,” urging investment in robust occupational health and safety systems to reduce ill-health and strengthen the economy.
IOSH news release. 5 November 2025

Britain: Tackling the complex links between climate change and health
A report in the BMJ by Barbora Šedová and Andrew Haines highlights how climate change and conflict are converging to create grave occupational and public health risks. They warn rising heat, food insecurity and damaged infrastructure endanger workers – especially in fragile states where health systems are weakest. In Europe's exceptionally hot summers of 2022 and 2024, over 60 000 heat related deaths occurred. The report urges governments to integrate climate, health and labour protections, strengthen health systems, and ensure climate finance supports workers in conflict-affected regions.
BMJ. 5 November 2025

Britain: “‘I hate my boss’ is not a health condition" trivialises sickness issue
Former John Lewis chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield has sparked controversy after claiming “‘I hate my boss’ is not a health condition” while launching a government-commissioned review into workplace ill health. His report urges shared responsibility between employers, employees and the NHS to cut the UK’s £85 billion annual sick leave bill. UNISON, said the review unfairly shifts blame onto workers, overlooking the need for stronger rights, higher sick pay and enforceable standards to prevent ill-health at work.
The Independent. Unison comment. 5 November 2025

Britain: unionreps webinar on workplace stress – 25 November 2025
The TUC is hosting a free Unionreps webinar addressing workplace stress as a major psychosocial hazard. It will cover causes, health effects, and employer duties to prevent and manage stress. The session will equip union reps to identify risks, support members, and campaign for safer workplaces, alongside the launch of new resources to help assess and organise around work-related stress.
TUC news release. 5 November 2025.

Britain: Fixing Britain’s worklessness crisis could cost employers £6bn a year
The Keep Britain Working report warns that tackling health-related worklessness will require employers to spend an estimated £6bn annually on occupational health support. Chaired by Charlie Mayfield the ex head of the John Lewis Partnership, the report highlights that over 9 million working-age adults are economically inactive, with almost 3 million out due to long-term sickness. Mayfield calls for a fundamental shift in workplace health, making it a shared responsibility between employers, employees, and the NHS, with potential economic benefits of £18bn a year. More than 60 firms, including British Airways, Nando’s, and Tesco, will pilot the recommendations.
The Guardian. 5 November 2025

Britain: Social housing firm fined after workers develop vibration injuries
Nottingham City Homes Limited was fined £32,000 and ordered to pay £6,226 in costs after more than ten workers developed vibration-related ill-health, including Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). The HSE found the company failed to assess or control exposure to vibration from power tools used by trades including joiners, electricians and caretakers. Inadequate training, maintenance, and health surveillance were also identified. HSE said the damage caused was irreversible and entirely preventable.
HSE news release. 4 November 2025

Italy: Rome tower collapse sparks union fury over Italy’s work safety crisis
Italian unions have condemned the government’s weak enforcement of safety laws after 66-year-old Romanian worker Octav Stroici died when Rome’s medieval Torre dei Conti partially collapsed during EU-funded renovations. The CGIL union called it “a day of pain and anger” and led a torchlight march, while UIL warned that “much remains to be done”. More than 575 workers have died in Italy so far this year, largely in construction and manufacturing, despite new safety reforms.
TRT World. 4 November 2025

Australia: Safety rules failing to tackle climate change risk to workers
Unions are demanding stronger work health and safety laws to protect workers from climate change impacts such as extreme heat, air pollution and natural disasters. Launching a new report in Canberra, the ACTU and other unions - including nurses, firefighters, and teachers unions - warned current regulations lack binding standards for temperature, air quality or emergency planning.
ACTU media release. 4 November 2025.

Britain: Breaved family seek Tyne Shipyard asbestos answers
former accountant and finance director Leslie Inskip, 88, died in September 2024 from mesothelioma, decades after a brief spell as a teenage office boy at the Law Brothers marine plumbing firm in the Tyne shipyards. His children and wife have instructed Irwin Mitchell to investigate whether asbestos exposure during his time at Law Brothers caused his illness. They hope anyone with knowledge of working conditions at the firm between 1951 and 1954 will come forward to assist with the inquiry. Contact Jasmine Heaton at Irwin Mitchell on 0191 434 0797 or by email at jasmine.heaton@irwinmitchell.com
Chronicle Live. 4 November 2025

Britain: Babcock fined £967,500 after worker suffers multiple skull fractures
Babcock, now Altrad Babcock, was fined £967,500 at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court after a nightshift rigger, Darren Spagnoletta, was struck by a falling 130kg pipe during furnace refurbishment at the Fife Ethylene Plant, Mossmorran, in July 2022. He sustained three skull fractures, a broken shoulder and cuts requiring stitches and staples, resulting in 15 months off work.
The National. 4 November 2025

Britain: Streeting warns of rising racism and winter pressures in NHS
Health secretary Wes Streeting and NHS England chief Jim Mackey have warned that NHS staff are increasingly subjected to racism reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s, alongside verbal and physical abuse. Streeting said it has become “socially acceptable to be racist” and criticised politicians who inflame tensions. The warning comes amid forecasts of severe winter pressures, including flu, Covid, and doctors’ strikes, which could put patients at risk. Unions RCN and BMA have highlighted the rising racist incidents.
The Guardian. 4 November 2025

Britain: Silicosis cases highlight risk to younger workers
A UK study of 82 silicosis cases reported to the SWORD scheme between 2018–2023 shows that while the mean age was 59, cases were reported in workers as young as 27. All victims were men in skilled trades and process plant roles, including stonemasons and ceramic, brick or pottery workers with four cases in artificial stone benchtop fabricators. With approximately 14 cases per year reported between 2018–2, Silicosis remains a problem in the UK.
Wiggans R, Byrne L, Fishwick D, et al. S21 Epidemiology of silicosis in the UK: an update from the SWORD scheme 2018–2023. Thorax 2024;79:A22. 3 November 2025

Britain: Asbestos cancer linked to hugging her brother after work
Marie Pickup, 68, from Blackburn, has been diagnosed with terminal peritoneal mesothelioma, believed to have been caused by asbestos fibres brought home on her brother’s work clothes in the 1980s. He was a joiner for Blackburn Corporation, and Pickup recalls hugging him while he was still covered in dust. Now represented by Irwin Mitchell, she is appealing for former colleagues to come forward with information about refurbishment work on the Delph Estate.
Birmingham Live. 2 November 2025

Britain: RMT praises staff for professionalism during train stabbing
Rail union RMT commended railway staff for their response to a mass stabbing on an LNER train to Kings Cross, which was safely diverted to Huntingdon station after passengers raised the alarm. General Secretary Eddie Dempsey praised the bravery and professionalism of train crew and operational staff, noting their swift action enabled emergency services to respond effectively. He announced plans to meet government, rail employers, and police to strengthen support, resources, and safety procedures for railway workers and passengers.
RMT Press Office. 2 November 2025

Britain: Workforce could lose 600,000 workers to illness
The Royal Society for Public Health warns that up to 600,000 more people could leave the UK workforce within a decade due to long-term illness unless employers take greater responsibility for supporting staff health. Its analysis predicts 3.3 million will be economically inactive by 2035, costing £36 billion annually. The RSPH is calling for a national health and work standard to ensure all employees receive minimum health support, ahead of the Keep Britain Working review.
The Guardian. 2 November 2025

Britain: Appeal over death of Runcorn ICI worker from asbestos cancer
The family of Leonard Goggin, who worked 31 years at ICI sites in Runcorn and later as a health and safety manager, is appealing for former colleagues to come forward following his death from sarcomatoid peritoneal mesothelioma in November 2023, aged 73. Goggin believed his illness resulted from historic asbestos exposure at work. With support from Unite and Thompsons solicitors , his family continues a legal investigation into whether sufficient protective measures were in place, urging anyone who worked at Runcorn between 1984 and 2015 to provide information.
Warrington Guardian. 1 November 2025

Canada/Britain: Young workers show low awareness of occupational carcinogens
A study of young workers 25 yeras and under in Canada and the UK found awareness of occupational carcinogens is generally low. In particular in retail, agriculture, trades, and manufacturing. Despite reporting receiving some training, many participants were unable to identify common carcinogens or understand factors affecting hazardous exposures. The findings highlight significant knowledge gaps and the need for improved, targeted occupational health education and training for young workers to reduce long-term cancer risk.
WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation. 31 October 2025

Britain: Construction firm fined after worker fell from barn roof
A Shropshire construction company, Dewi Williams Limited, was fined after a worker fell from the roof of a partially built barn in Oswestry on 2 September 2023, sustaining fractures to his ribs and skull. HSE investigations found the work was not properly planned, and safety measures to prevent falls were lacking, with director Dewi Williams directly involved. The company pleaded guilty to breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, receiving a £15,000 fine plus £2,000 costs, while Williams received a 12-month conditional discharge and £1,000 costs.
HSE news release. 31 October 2025

Uruguay: Rice workers face health crisis from agrochemical exposure
The lucrative rice industry, which employs 30,000 workers and generates over US$500 million annually, faces growing concerns about widespread agrochemical exposure affecting workers' health. Studies reveal elevated rates of cancer, respiratory diseases, and miscarriages in rice-growing communities, with workers reporting inadequate protections during pesticide spraying. Despite some banned chemicals, researchers cite insufficient monitoring, poor training, and under-reported cases.
The Guardian. 31 October 2025

Britain: Former soldier is jailed for sexual assault of soldier who later took her own life
A former British army sergeant major was sentenced to six months imprisonment for sexually assaulting 19-year-old soldier Jaysley Beck during a 2021 training exercise. Michael Webber admitted to touching Beck's thigh and attempting to kiss her during a drinking game. Beck reported the assault but senior officers failed to notify police, instead encouraging her to accept an apology letter. The coroner found this failure "more than minimally" contributed to Beck taking her own life five months later.
The Guardian. 31 October 2025

Britain: Right-to-work reform targets construction subbies
The government has launched a six-week consultation on extending right-to-work checks to the self-employed in construction, aiming to close loopholes that allow illegal working. Contractors would be legally required to verify eligibility for all workers, facing penalties of up to £60,000 per person, business closures, director bans or five-year prison terms for breaches. Minister Alex Norris said the reforms target rogue employers exploiting labour rules, with plans for future digital ID cards to streamline and secure verification.
Construction Enquirer. 30 October 2025.

Britain: Man jailed after strangling railway staff during ticket dispute
Mohamed Kadir, 29, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment at Derby Crown Court after being found guilty of non-fatal strangulation. On 22 May 2025, Kadir assaulted and strangled a member of CrossCountry railway staff at Derby station after refusing to leave a first-class carriage without a ticket. BTP said his behaviour was “extreme and unacceptable”, while CrossCountry praised staff bravery and said there is “no place for violence on the railway.”
British Transport Police news release. 30 October 2025

Britain: TikTok must come clean as MPs probe AI-driven job cuts - TUC
The TUC has called on TikTok to explain its plan to axe over 400 UK jobs from its London-based Trust and Safety Team, warning that replacing these roles with AI and low-paid workers abroad endangers around 30 million UK users, including 1 million children. The House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee has launched an inquiry following union and campaigner pressure. Paul Nowak described TikTok’s actions as “reprehensible” and said there is “no business case” for the cuts.
TUC news release. Science, Innovation and Technology Committee news release. 30 October 2025

Britain: Transport company fined after worker injured in fall from conveyor
Knowles Logistics Limited was fined £133,000 and ordered to pay £5,438 in costs after an employee suffered several broken ribs, a punctured lung and liver damage when he fell from a sugar beet conveyor at the firm’s Cambridgeshire site on 28 November 2023. The HSE found repeated blockages required staff to climb the machine to clear obstructions by hand, with no safe system of work in place. The inspector said the incident was “wholly avoidable.”
HSE news release. 30 October 2025

Europe: Safer workers and stronger OSH compliance through digitalisation
EU-OSHA has published a commentary highlighting the challenges that rapid digitalisation of work poses for compliance and enforcement. These changes can complicate companies’ ability to meet legislative requirements and hinder authorities from carrying out traditional inspection activities. The commentary notes that enforcement agencies across Europe – though notably not in the UK – are increasingly adopting digital tools and strategies to guide, prioritise, and streamline their oversight, improving both efficiency and effectiveness in promoting occupational safety and health compliance.
EU-OSHA news release. Devil particles: Air pollution and safety liability accidents. 30 October 2025

Britain: Business and charities urge Government for four-day week
More than 100 business and charity leaders have called on the government to “lead the country’s transition toward a shorter working week,” following criticism by local government secretary Steve Reed of South Cambridgeshire council’s four-day week trial. Reed cited declines in housing-related services, while council leader Bridget Smith said independent data showed most services improved or remained stable and reported net annual savings of £399,000.
The Guardian. 30 October 2025

Global: Rising heat kills one person a minute worldwide, major report reveals
The 2025 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, led by University College London and the World Health Organization, warns global heat now causes one death every minute. The study found a 23 per cent rise in heat-related deaths since the 1990s, with an annual average of 546,000 between 2012 and 2021. It blames continued fossil fuel use driving pollution, wildfires and disease. Despite these harms, governments gave $956 billion in fossil fuel subsidies in 2023.
The Guardian. WHO news release. 29 October 2025

Scotland: GMB calls for action as parking attendants face daily abuse
GMB Scotland has urged Dundee City Council to act over escalating abuse, threats and violence against parking attendants. Workers reported being punched, kicked, spat on and subjected to racist and sexual abuse, leaving some in “constant stress and anxiety.” Organiser Vicki Leonard criticised delays in the council’s job evaluation process, saying it fails to recognise the job’s pressures.
Morning Star. 28 October 2025

Britain: Waste firm fined after worker injured
Stonegrave Aggregates Limited, part of the Ashcourt Group, was fined £270,000 and ordered to pay £15,637 in costs after an employee was seriously injured while cleaning machinery at its Aycliffe Quarry site in County Durham. A supervisor mistakenly restarted a waste picking line, trapping the worker, who suffered a fractured shoulder, torn ligaments and a broken finger. The company had failed to ensure proper isolation procedures, despite a fatal 2015 incident involving similar failures.
HSE news release. 28 October 2025

Britain: Worker seriously injured in fall from ladder
Ball Colegrave Ltd has been fined £80,000 with £7,061 costs after an employee fell from a ladder while checking irrigation at its Banbury site on 7 June 2023. The ladder collapsed, leaving the man with five broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung.
HSE news release. 28 October 2025

Britain: Hundreds of women allege sexual abuse at army medicals over five decades
Wiltshire police are leading a major investigation, codenamed Operation Pianora, into allegations of sexual abuse during British army enlistment medicals from the 1970s to 2016. Hundreds of women have so far come forward, and police believe multiple perpetrators may be involved.
The Guardian. 28 October 2025

Britain: Man blamed for his own death after being crushed by urinal
Hi-Tech Washrooms Solutions has denied liability for the death of maintenance worker Kevin Holding, 60, who was crushed by a retractable urinal in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, in February 2023. His partner, Katrina Woods, is suing the company for £200,000, alleging a corroded hydraulic fitting caused the collapse. The firm claims Holding contributed to the accident by failing to lower the urinal or seek help before entering the chamber, arguing he was an experienced operator who did not take sufficient care for his own safety.
Metro. 28 October 2025

Britain All Raac-affected schools in England 'to be fixed by 2029'
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has promised that all schools in England receiving removal grants for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) will be free of it by the end of this parliament in 2029. She said 62 schools have already had Raac permanently removed, while nearly 50 remain under repair.
The Guardian. 28 October 2025

China: Study links air pollution to surge in workplace accidents
New research analysing nearly 6,000 workplace accidents in China between 2000-2020 revealed that when PM2.5 concentrations doubled, workplace accidents became 2.6 times more likely to occur. The study also found fatalities increased by 37 per cent and total casualties rose by 51 per cent. Air pollution acted as an "invisible risk multiplier" by impairing workers' cognitive function and reducing visibility. High-risk sectors like construction and mining were particularly vulnerable.
Air Quality News. 27 October 2025

Europe: Neurotoxicants have been a regulatory blind spot - not anymore
ChemSec has warned neurotoxic chemicals, which damage the brain and nervous system, have long been overlooked in EU regulation despite being among the most harmful substances. Slow detection and poor testing under REACH have left many in use in everyday products. The NGO has now added three neurotoxicants to its SIN List, arguing they meet the EU’s “Substance of Very High Concern” criteria.
ChemSec news release. 27 October 2025

Australia: Two killed in first deadly mine explosion since 2015
An underground explosion at the Endeavor mine in Cobar, New South Wales, has killed a man in his 60s and a woman in her 20s, while another woman suffered minor injuries. The mine, bought by Polymetals Resources in 2023, has temporarily suspended operations. The cause of the blast is unknown. The incident marks Australia’s first fatal mine explosion since 2015.
BBC news online. 27 October 2025

USA: Teachers unions push for climate action in schools
Teacher unions in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles are using contract negotiations to advance climate action, including installing solar panels, electrifying buses, and creating clean energy career pathways for students. The Chicago Teachers Union emphasised upgrades to aging, hazardous school buildings while linking projects to apprenticeships and community benefits.
Hechinger Report. 26 October 2025

Britain: TUC urges Labour to ensure watertight protections for night workers
The TUC has called on Labour to make sure the Employment Rights Bill includes watertight secondary legislation to protect night workers from exploitation. Research by the union federation found that nearly 200,000 of the UK’s three million night workers are on zero-hours contracts, almost twice the national average.
Morning Star. 25 October 2025

Britain: Two unions back NAHT’s legal challenge over Ofsted inspections
The National Education Union (NEU) and Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) are supporting the NAHT in its legal action against Ofsted’s new inspection framework. The unions argue that the proposed five-point grading scale for schools has not been adequately consulted on and could worsen the already high stress levels among school leaders and staff.
Morning Star. 27 October 2025

Europe: Study shows pesticide exposure unavoidable even far from farms
A Europe-wide study has revealed people are routinely exposed to dozens of pesticides, including banned chemicals, through the air and skin. Using silicone wristbands, researchers found 173 different substances across 10 countries, with every participant showing traces. Non-organic farmers had the highest exposure, but even those far from farmland carried residues. One Dutch volunteer detected 11 pesticides in his body, calling the results “shocking”. Scientists warned the findings show pesticides are now “ubiquitous” across Europe.
Tornero-Velez, R., MacIntosh, D. L., Bartels, M. J., & Xue, J. (2025). Predicting pesticide exposures in adults using a probabilistic multimedia model: Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Environment International, 194, 108379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.108379
The Guardian. 24 October 2025

Britain: Security staff walk out over safety fears at asylum site
Security workers at MDP Wethersfield in Essex have walked out in a dispute over pay and conditions, citing serious concerns about safety. The Security Industry Federation said 22 of 31 guards failed to report for duty after repeated assaults and abuse at the site, claiming staff lacked proper PPE and protection. The union accused Clearsprings Ready Homes and the Home Office of failing to safeguard workers, warning agency replacements were untrained in using radios and vital safety equipment.
BBC News. 24 October 2025

Britain: Drax faces multiple wood dust asthma claims
Drax is being sued by ten current and former employees who claim prolonged exposure to wood dust at its Yorkshire biomass site caused asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Six claims were settled out of court, with four set for trial in 2026. Workers, and union representatives from Unite and GM said Drax knew of the risks but failed to provide adequate protection. A US class action representing 700 nearby residents has also been filed. HSE previously investigated, issuing improvement notices, but dropped its criminal case in 2023.
Morning Star. 24 October 2025

Britain: Usdaw warns of rising shoplifting crisis
Usdaw’s latest annual survey of nearly 9,500 retail staff showed that over three-quarters had suffered verbal abuse and far too many had been threatened or assaulted. Two-thirds of respondents said that incidents of violence, threats and abuse they had experienced were triggered by shop theft or armed robbery.
Usdaw news release. Usdaw Freedom from Fear report 2024. 23 October 2025

Britain: Protecting workers from workplace transport: getting the basics right
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned deaths caused by moving vehicles at work remain one of Britain’s leading causes of workplace fatalities, with a five yearaverage of 21 deaths a year – 16 per cent of all work-related fatalities – many involving reversing vehicles. Deputy Director John Rowe said these deaths were “entirely preventable” through basic, low-cost safety measures such as separating vehicles and pedestrians, maintaining reversing aids, and enforcing safe practices. Recent prosecutions have resulted in fines up to £2.5 million.
HSE news release. 23 October 2025

Britain: Firefighters warn Isle of Wight blaze exposes crisis in fire service
The Fire Brigades Union has warned that the chaotic response to a blaze at the derelict Cygnet Hotel in Sandown shows Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is close to collapse. Only two fire engines were initially available despite the fire being treated as “persons reported”, with extra appliances ferried from the mainland nearly an hour later. FBU officials said years of cuts have left engines sitting empty and firefighter numbers dangerously low, demanding an immediate halt to planned reductions.
FBU news release. 23 October 2025

Britain: Unite demands independent investigation into blacklisting at Birmingham Council
Unite has called for an independent investigation into alleged blacklisting of refuse workers at Birmingham Council after an agency manager was filmed warning bin workers they would not be offered permanent jobs if they joined picket lines. The union says this constitutes illegal anti-union blacklisting. Despite the council’s promise to investigate, Unite says no action has been taken and all managers involved remain in post. General secretary Sharon Graham demanded their suspension and a fully independent inquiry.
Unite news release. 23 October 2025

Britain: Former shoe factory worker seeks answers after asbestos cancer diagnosis
Eighty-eight-year-old Graham Bray, a former warehouse worker at Northampton shoe factories W Barratt & Co and Hutton of Northampton, is appealing for information after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer. Bray, who worked in the industry between 1960 and 1972, has instructed lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate whether his illness is linked to his employment. Anyone with information that could help Graham, is asked to contact Jasmine Hunte at Irwin Mitchell on 0121 214 5473 or by email at Jasmine.Hunte@IrwinMitchell.com
Northampton Chronicle & Echo. 23 October 2025

Britain: HSE releasing fewer than a quarter of FOI requests in full
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) fully responded to only 24 per cent of 470 Freedom of Information requests in Q2 2025, down from 49 per cent three years earlier, new Cabinet Office data shows. Forty per cent of requests were completely withheld, mostly citing personal data or ongoing investigations. Experts, including Professor Phil James and Hazards Campaign chair Janet Newsham, condemned the decline as undermining accountability and transparency.
The Chemical Engineer. 22 October 2025

Britain: Asbestos campaign group marks ten years of life-changing support
The TUC Northern Asbestos Support and Campaign Group has marked ten years of helping people in the North East and North Cumbria affected by asbestos-related diseases. Since 2014, the service has handled 1,938 cases, made 2,514 appointments, and secured more than £17 million in confirmed benefits and compensation, including £7.8 million through the Pneumoconiosis (Workers’ Compensation) Scheme. The group, working with trade unions and legal partners, offers free advice and emotional support, with clients reporting major improvements in wellbeing and financial security.
TUC news release. 22 October 2025

Britain: HSE launches ‘Asbestos – Your Duty’ campaign
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched its Asbestos - Your Duty campaign, urging organisations to manage the ongoing risk of asbestos exposure in non-domestic buildings. Despite a 1999 ban, asbestos remains the UK’s leading cause of work-related deaths, with over five thousand annually. The campaign provides a toolkit, videos, webinars, podcasts and social media materials to help dutyholders comply with legal requirements, identify asbestos, and maintain active management plans to protect workers and the public.
HSE ‘Asbestos – Your Duty’ campaign. HSE asbestos bulletin. 22 October 2025

Nigeria: Dozens killed in fuel tanker explosion
At least 39 people have died and 60 others were injured after a fuel tanker overturned and exploded near Essan and Badeggi in Niger state, Nigeria. The tanker, en route from Lagos to the north, reportedly crashed due to poor road conditions. Villagers attempting to collect spilled fuel were caught in the resulting blaze, which burned many victims beyond recognition.
BBC news online. 22 October 2025

USA: Amazon automation plans threaten over half a million jobs
Internal Amazon documents has revealed plans to replace more than 600, 000 US jobs with robots by 2033 by automating up to 75 per cent of operations. The costs saving would be a meagre 30 cents per item. While the company claims automation will create higher-skilled technician roles, unions and researchers warn it could devastate blue-collar employment, particularly among Black workers.
Portside. 21 October 2025

Denmark: Study links firefighting to higher rates of kidney diseases
A Danish cohort study of 10,094 male firefighters found full-time firefighters face an increased risk of certain kidney diseases, particularly urolithiasis, with a 36 per cent higher incidence than the general male workforce. Shorter employment was linked to glomerulonephritis and chronic kidney disease, while specialist smoke divers had higher risks of renal failure. Researchers suggest dehydration during heat exposure may play a key role, emphasising the need for hydration awareness among firefighters.
Pedersen JE, Petersen KKU, Andersen MHG, et al. Non-malignant kidney diseases in Danish firefighters. Occupational and Environmental Medicine Published Online First: 20 October 2025. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2025-110285

Italy: Bus driver killed in attack on Italian basketball fans
A 65-year-old bus driver, Raffaele Marianella, died after a coach carrying Pistoia Basket supporters was attacked with stones near Rieti, central Italy. The fans were returning from a match against SRS Sebastiani Rieti when rival supporters allegedly threw objects, one of which smashed through the windscreen and struck Marianella.
BBC news online. 20 October 2025

Wales: Stress is the top workplace hazard in Wales
Stress is the biggest hazard facing workers in Wales, with social care among the highest-risk sectors, according to new TUC Cymruesearch. Over half of health and safety reps (53 per cent) identified stress as the main workplace hazard, followed by bullying and harassment (47 per cent). The report links stress to insecure, low-paid and temporary work, small firms and Wales’s industrial legacy.
Morning Star. 20 October 2025

Portugal: Report exposes major failings behind Lisbon funicular disaster
A preliminary report into the Lisbon funicular crash has revealed serious safety failings. 16 People were killed including André Jorge Gonçalves Marques - a brake-guard who was working on the funicular. Investigators found the underground counterweight cable, which snapped causing the 3 September crash, was never certified for passenger use, was unsuitable and had not been tested. The report found outsourced inspections were unreliable and in addition, the emergency brake system had failed.
BBC news online. 20 October 2025

Britain: Aluminium manufacturer fined £300,000 after worker crushed
Bridgnorth Aluminium Limited was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £8,301 in costs after a worker in his early 40s suffered life-changing crush injuries when a 1.5-tonne hydraulic arm fell on him on 10 May 2023 at the company’s Bridgnorth site. The worker was trapped for more than 20 minutes and has been unable to return to work.
HSE news release. 20 October 2025

Britain: Sainsbury’s criticised menopause hypocrisy
Unite has condemned Sainsbury’s for not implementing a firm menopause policy for staff while at the same time launching its own-brand menopause skincare range. Workers have been forced to take unpaid leave for medical appointments or attend work while suffering debilitating symptoms, with some even facing dismissal. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham accused the company of prioritising customers over staff.
Unite news release. 20 October 2025

Hong Kong: Two killed as cargo plane crashes into sea
Two airport workers died after an Emirates cargo plane operated by ACT Airlines struck a patrol vehicle and skidded off the runway into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport. The Boeing 747 broke in two after the crash. Four crew were rescued unhurt.
The Guardian. 20 October 2025

Britain: Unions welcomes government's 400,000 new green jobs pledge
Trade unions RMT, Unite, Unison and Prospect have welcomed government plans to create 400,000 new clean energy jobs by 2030. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband announced measures including five new “technical excellence colleges” and £20 million to help oil and gas workers retrain. Scotland is set to gain 60,000 roles.
Morning Star. 19 October 2025

Global: ITUC calls for unions to shape AI deployment and regulation
The ITUC has released a report warning of serious risks from unregulated artificial intelligence and algorithmic management, including job intensification, erosion of labour rights, and rising inequality. Artificial Intelligence: What are the implications for trade unions? argues unions should be central to how AI is deployed and regulated.
Artificial Intelligence: What are the implications for trade unions? ITUC news release. 17 October 2025

Britain: Biffa fined £2.48 million after worker crushed
Biffa Waste Services Ltd was fined £2.48 million and ordered to pay £5,768.06 in costs after 57-year-old James Tabiri was fatally crushed by a reversing skip wagon at the company’s Bradford waste transfer station on 10 August 2023.
HSE news release. 17 October 2025

Britain: London schools to get air filters in £2.7m clean air plan
More than 200 London schools will receive new air filters under a £2.7 million scheme announced by Mayor Sadiq Khan that are said to cut classroom pollution by up to 68 per cent. The rollout prioritises schools in deprived and high-pollution areas. Khan said the filters would be “life-changing” for pupils’ health.
BBC news online. 17 October 2025

Britain: Builder given suspended sentence after fatal fall from roof
Self-employed builder Raffaele Vigliotti, trading as Absolute Building Solutions, has received an eight-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and 200 hours of unpaid work after 69-year-old Andrew Layley fell to his death while helping with roof work on a domestic extension in Reading on 8 April 2023. Layley, a married father of three, died from head injuries sustained in the fall. HSE found Vigliotti failed to implement adequate fall-prevention measures. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge.
HSE news release. 16 October 2025

Global: AI’s hidden workforce demands fair pay and protection
A global workforce of human data labellers behind generative AI systems is demanding fair wages and safer conditions as evidence grows of exploitation and trauma. An Agence France-Presse (AFP) investigation found workers from Kenya to Colombia earning as little as one US cent per task to annotate violent or distressing content, often without mental health support or job security. Kenya’s Data Labelers Association is drafting a code of conduct. Global Union UNI has urged Silicon Valley firms to end “disposable labour” practices.
BNN Bloomberg. 16 October 2025

Britain: Firm fined £1 million after worker killed by reversing road-sweeper
Marlborough Highways Limited has been fined £1 million and £6,028 in costs after employee Robert Morris, 48, was fatally struck by a reversing road-sweeper during resurfacing works on Pemberton Road, Haringey, on 30 May 2022. HSE found there was no segregation between workers and vehicles and no banksman in use. The driver received a suspended prison sentence and a one-year driving ban.
HSE news release. 16 October 2025

Britain: Spycops inquiry ‘fundamentally flawed’ on construction blacklisting
Lawyer Imran Khan has accused the Undercover Policing Inquiry of failing to properly investigate state involvement in the blacklisting of construction workers. Representing the Blacklist Support Group, he said the inquiry’s superficial approach ignored evidence of close ties between undercover police, MI5 and construction firms, despite documented union monitoring. Khan criticised the omission of blacklisting from the 2023 interim report and warned the inquiry risked breaching its remit unless it fully examined police and corporate collusion.
Construction News. 15 October 2025

Indonesia: Ten workers killed in Batam shipyard tanker explosion
Ten workers were killed and 18 seriously injured when the MT Federal II tanker exploded during maintenance at ASL Shipyard in Tanjung Uncang, Batam. The victims were all employees of ASL Shipyard. This was the second fatal explosion involving the Federal II at the shipyard this year following a June blast that killed five workers.
Jakarta Globe. 15 October 2025

Bangladesh: Factory fire kills at least 16
At least 16 people were killed after a fire broke out at a garment factory in Dhaka’s Mirpur area. Viictims were burned beyond recognition. Most deaths were caused by toxic gas, as the roof door was locked. The fire spread to a nearby chemical warehouse storing bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, which lacked fire safety clearance or an occupancy licence.
BBC news online. 15 October 2025

Britain: Two firms fined after worker impaled in roof fall
A worker suffered leg injuries after falling through a fragile rooflight while over-cladding a factory roof in Keighley, becoming impaled on machinery below and rescued by firefighters. A.T. Lee Properties Ltd and LJH Property Ltd were fined £47,783 and £47,818 respectively. Each firm was ordered to pay costs of £2,386 and £2,518. Directors Neil Cryer and Luke Hudson received two-year conditional discharges and were each ordered to pay £2,369 in costs.
HSE news release. 15 October 2025

USA: AFL-CIO launches AI intiative’ to protect jobs and shape fair technology
The AFL-CIO has unveiled the Workers First Initiative on AI, the US labour movement’s first comprehensive framework to guide artificial intelligence policy in the workplace. Developed with unions across industries, the plan outlines principles for fair, safe and worker-centred AI, aiming to prevent Big Tech domination and job losses. AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler said the initiative seeks “human-centred innovation” that benefits all, not just tech elites.
AFL-CIO news release. 15 October 2025

Britain: Usdaw urges assault protections for home delivery drivers
Retail union Usdaw is urging the Government to ensure home delivery drivers are covered by a new standalone offence for assaulting retail workers in the Crime and Policing Bill. A survey of over 300 drivers in the grocery sector found 77 per cent experienced abuse, 13 per cent were assaulted, and 26 per cent had refused a delivery due to safety fears. Usdaw has highlighted the risks faced when verifying age-restricted products, including knives, alcohol, and tobacco, and is calling for clarification that the protections extend beyond in-store staff.
Usdaw news release.. 15 October 2025

Canada: Asbestos dangers persist despite ban, study urges earlier action
Despite Canada’s ban on new asbestos products, older buildings still expose workers to life-threatening respiratory diseases. Research from Ontario’s Asbestos Workers Registry has shownworkers develop illnesses well before the current 2,000-hour screening threshold. Analysis of 26,164 workers between 1986 and 2019 suggests limiting exposure to just 100 hours could have prevented dozens of asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer cases.
WHSC news release. 15 October 2025

Britain: TSSA launches ‘Clear the Air’ campaign on London Underground
Rail union TSSA has launched a ‘Clear the Air’ campaign calling for cleaner air on the London Underground, urging investment in ventilation, air filtration and regular air quality monitoring. The union warns of high levels of steel particulate matter being inhaled by staff and passengers, arguing that HSE standards for workplace air quality should be strengthened to meet the tougher Institute of Occupational Medicine limits. General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said the Tube was “one of the dirtiest in the world” and called for urgent action.
TSSA nws release. 15 October 2025

Global: Chemicals and climate change in the world of work - ILO report
A July 2025 ILO report, Chemicals and climate change in the world of work, highlights how climate change affects not just the environment but also workplaces, creating new challenges for the safe management of chemicals. It explores the risks and hazards arising from the interaction of climate impacts and chemical use, and outlines actions that can be taken nationally and at the workplace level to mitigate these dangers and protect workers.
Chemicals and climate change in the world of work, ILO. 15 October 2025

Global: Campaign urges fashion industry to act on climate change
Rising temperatures and frequent heatwaves are endangering garment workers’ health, safety and livelihoods worldwide, the Clean Clothes Campaign warns. Workers in major production countries across the globe are already exposed to dangerous conditions. The campaign calls on governments, suppliers and brands to implement urgent, measurable protections, including workplace safeguards and respect for workers’ rights, alongside emissions reductions for a just transition.
Heat and garment workers’ rights fashioning a just transition, Clean Clothers Campaign. Also see: Reuters Commentary. 15 October 2025

Britain: TUC warns of deepening insecure work crisis
A new TUC report warns Britain’s insecure work crisis is deepening, with 4 million people trapped in unstable jobs that deny them basic rights and security. Based on polling of more than 2,500 workers, including 500 in insecure roles, the report found widespread financial strain, cancelled shifts and inadequate sick pay. It said zero-hours, agency and low-paid self-employed contracts disproportionately harm Black and minority ethnic workers, young people, carers and working mothers.
The experience of insecure work, TUC report. 15 October 2025

Britain: Lawyers welcome rise in mesothelioma compensation but call for further reform
Leigh Day lawyers Daniel Easton and Kevin Johnson have welcomed a 49 per cent rise in awards under the government’s Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme but criticised the lack of retrospective payments and continued shortfalls in compensation. The increase, effective from 4 November 2025, raises the legal costs award to £13,700. Both lawyers, representing the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, said claimants remain disadvantaged compared with court awards and called for automatic inflation-linked uplifts.
Leigh Day news release. 14 October 2025

Britain: Birmingham bin worker blacklisting scandal rocks council
Birmingham City Council faces a major scandal after a manager was filmed saying agency staff who refuse to cross bin workers’ picket lines will be barred from permanent jobs. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham condemned the “despicable” blacklisting, calling for those responsible to be held to account. Bin workers have been striking for nine months over £8,000 fire-and-rehire wage cuts, accusing the council of fostering a toxic culture and union victimisation.
Unite news release. 14 October 2025

Britain: Blair’s former policy chief Matthew Taylor to lead Fair Work Agency
Labour has appointed Matthew Taylor, former policy chief to Tony Blair and author of the influential gig economy review, as chair of the new Fair Work Agency, set to launch next April. The agency will consolidate existing labour enforcement bodies to tackle employers flouting the law, including naming rogue businesses, issuing fines, and bringing legal cases on behalf of workers.
The Guardian. 14 October 2025

Britain: London bus drivers demand action over cockroach infestations
Bus drivers in London have reported report widespread cockroach infestations on buses and rest and food areas, raising serious health, safety and wellbeing concerns. Drivers are planning to march on 5 November to demand safer conditions and adoption of a Bus Drivers Bill of Rights, highlighting the ongoing pressure on staff under challenging working conditions.
BBC news online. 13 October 2025

Britain: RMT to ballot Eurostar staff over safety and working conditions
The rail union RMT is ballotting Eurostar staff on strike action over worsening working conditions and safety concerns. Workers cite unreliable trains, poor service recovery and mounting operational pressures, despite Eurostar reporting €2 billion (£1.7 billion) in 2024 revenue. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey accused the company of prioritising profits over safety and investment in fleet reliability, warning that if Eurostar fails to act, industrial action “cannot be ruled out.”
RMT news release. 13 October 2025.

Britain: Charities warn toxic immigration rhetoric is putting staff at risk
Charities have reported rising threats, abuse and violence against staff and beneficiaries amid increasingly hostile political and social rhetoric on immigration and race. A coalition of over 150 charities has written to the prime minister calling for leadership to counter far-right hostility and protect staff, volunteers and communities.
The Guardian. 13 October 2025

Britain: Care home owner fined £43,000 for fire safety breaches
The “Person in Control” of Morvern Care Centre in Thornton-Cleveleys, Rajesh Kumar Chechani, received a three-month suspended sentence and £43,000 in fines and costs for fire safety breaches that endangered 45 elderly residents and staff. Chechani admitted failing to ensure adequate fire precautions and to conduct a proper fire risk assessment. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service had issued a prohibition notice in 2020, relocating residents.
FPA news release. 13 October 2025

Britain: Unions and campaigners urge MPs to act over TikTok job cuts
Unions and online safety campaigners have written to Chi Onwurah MP, chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, urging an investigation into TikTok’s plan to cut over 400 jobs from its London office. The redundancies target the Trust and Safety Team responsible for moderating harmful content, including deep fakes and abuse. Signatories including the TUC and CWU warn the cuts - announced just before a union recognition vote - endanger 30 million UK users and undermine workers’ rights. The company also plans to replace skilled UK staff with unproven AI moderation and offshore workers in countries such as Kenya and the Philippines, where conditions are precarious and pay is low.
TUC news release. 13 October 2025

Wales: Sexual harassment ‘epidemic’ at Cardiff council
A Unite survey has revealed widespread sexual harassment at Cardiff Council, with nearly 70 per cent of staff saying management has failed to act. The poll found 6 per cent of workers had been sexually assaulted by colleagues, 3 per cent by managers, and incidents of coercion, inappropriate touching and exposure to pornography were also reported. Most harassment went unreported and when it was 69 per cent said management failed to address it. Unite has called for a standalone policy, mandatory training and recognition of union equality reps. Cardiff councillor Neil McEvoy said; "Every case I have heard of is one of women sexually harassing men. People speaking out have either been sacked or forced out."
nation.cymru. Unite news release. 11 October 2025

Britain: HSE warns industry after Swindon printing explosion
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has urged all companies using Diferro sublimation calender machines to review updated safety guidance following an explosion at a Swindon printer on 24 September. There were no injuries reported but HSE cited “significant concerns” over safe use, referring to a fatal explosion in South Wales in 2023.
HSE news release. 10 October 2025

Britain: Unions highlight mental health risks in the workplace
Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, PCS union says poor mental health is closely linked to workplace pressures such as long hours, excessive workloads, bullying, and job insecurity. PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote urged employers to implement proactive policies to reduce stress and support staff with mental health conditions. Highlighting the toll on public service workers after years of cuts and high demands, PCS reaffirmed the role of union reps in safeguarding both mental and physical wellbeing at work.
PCS news release. 9 October 2025

Britain: Worker wins justice after hand crushed in factory incident
A St Helens worker has won a substantial settlement after his hand was crushed in a packaging machine at Aimia Foods in Haydock. John Gillon, 65, lost a finger and was forced to retire after 40 years in manufacturing. Backed by Unite and Thompsons Solicitors, he argued the company failed to provide proper safety systems. Although liability was denied, the case settled for a significant five-figure sum. Gillon praised his “incredible support network” and urged others to join a union.
Thompsons news release. 9 October 2025

Britain: Four in five crime scene investigators say work harms mental health
Four in five crime scene investigators (CSI) are suffering mental health damage from exposure to traumatic incidents, UNISON warned. Its survey of 245 CSIs found 84 per cent said their work had affected their mental health, with over a third reporting it was “seriously” or “very negatively” impacted. One in six had been diagnosed with a trauma-related condition. With increasing workloads and staff cuts, many said support was poor or non-existent, with stress dismissed as “part of the job.”
Unison news release. 9 October 2025

Britain: Contractor given suspended sentence for ignoring HSE action
Mohammed Mehdi Ali of Wembley was sentenced to 20 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work plus 10 days of rehabilitation, with £12,151 costs, after flouting a Health and Safety Executive prohibition notice at a Willesden construction site. Unsafe work at height and demolition put workers at serious risk of injury. HSE inspectors condemned Ali’s “complete contempt” for safety.
HSE news release. 8 October 2025

Britain: Housing workers face stress and violence amid crisis
UNISON’s Housing Worker Survey 2024–25 reveals that council and housing staff face severe stress, overwork and exposure to violence while supporting high-need tenants with inadequate training. Seventy-seven per cent describe their work as stressful, nearly three-quarters have experienced violence, and burnout is widespread, with many considering leaving the sector.
Unison news release. 8 October 2025

Global: IndustriALL launches global strategy on AI and workers’ rights
IndustriALL has published a new policy paper, Artificial Intelligence (AI): challenges and opportunities for industrial workers and trade union responses, setting out how unions can shape the digital transformation to protect workers’ rights, dignity and jobs. IndustriALL warns AI is already transforming industrial sectors through automation, robotics and data-driven management, often without transparency or regulation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): challenges and opportunities for industrial workers and trade union responses. IndustriALL news release. 8 October 2025

Britain: Lammy rules out charging workers for tribunal claims
Justice secretary David Lammy has confirmed that employment tribunal claims will remain free, following union backlash against government proposals to reintroduce fees. Lammy emphasised that access to justice for unfair work behaviour is a core Labour principle. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak welcomed the announcement, highlighting the need for a fair and accessible tribunal system.
The Guardian. 8 October 2025

Britain: Company fined after grandfather killed by reversing HGV
Northwood Consumer Limited was fined £240,000 plus £6,917 costs after engineering manager David Saint, 61, was killed by a reversing HGV at its Birmingham site on 19 October 2023. The company failed to assess transport risks, control vehicle movements, or provide reversing aids or warning signs.
HSE news release. 7 October 2025

USA: Nearly 28,000 work injuries in the US linked to hot weather
New research from George Washington University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows exposure to extreme heat contributes to around 28,000 workplace injuries each year across nearly all industry sectors, including indoor jobs. Risk rises sharply when the heat index exceeds 90°F. States with OSHA heat standards report lower injury rates. The study supports the need for a national OSHA standard on extreme heat, highlighting the hidden danger of heat to workers’ health, safety and productivity.
Milken Institute School of Public Health news release. 6 October 2025

Britain: Battery fires an ‘epidemic’ needing urgent action
The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has warned of an “epidemic of fires” caused by discarded batteries, with over 1,200 incidents in refuse vehicles and waste facilities between 2023 and 2024 - a 71 per cent rise on the previous year. Costs linked to such fires have surged to more than £1 billion annually. ESA and safety bodies say the UK’s collection system is inadequate and are calling for universal, producer-funded kerbside schemes to protect workers, infrastructure and the environment.
CIEH news. 2 October 2025

Britain: Spycops inquiry chair faces legal challenge over exclusion of blacklisted activist
Dave Smith, secretary of the Blacklist Support Group, has applied for a Judicial Review against Sir John Mitting, chair of the undercover policing inquiry, for refusing to allow him to give oral evidence in November. Smith argues the decision leaves “a significant gap” in the inquiry, as no other core participant can fully challenge police evidence on blacklisting. He claims the refusal undermines natural justice and could skew findings towards state actors.
Hazards Magazine Blacklist Blog. 25 September 2025

Britain: Train drivers strike in protest at witch hunt
ASLEF train drivers at Hull Trains are striking on Friday 26 September, coinciding with the operator’s 25th anniversary, in protest at what the union calls a “witch hunt.” The company dismissed a driver with a clean safety record after he raised concerns about fatigue at a safety meeting. Thirty trade union general secretaries have warned Hull Trains the sacking undermines rail safety culture. Friday marks the 75th day of strike action.
Morning Star. 25 September 2025

Australia: Reps again the machine - conference
Health and Safety Representatives are invited to register for the conference, Reps Against the Machine, taking place on Tuesday 28 October across multiple Victorian locations including Melbourne, Bendigo, Morwell, Wangaratta, and Warrnambool. The event will focus on the rapid rollout of AI and workplace surveillance technologies, examining implications for workers’ health, safety, and rights, and exploring strategies for HSRs to protect and advocate for their Designated Work Groups.
Registration. 25 September 2025

Australia: Big fines after fatigued driver’s fatal crash
Onkar Group Pty Ltd (Bakeology) and director Maninder Singh Nagi were fined a total of AUS$1.43 million following the 2022 death of delivery driver Rohallah Khashee, who crashed after repeated 12-hour overnight shifts with inadequate rest. Prior to the incident, the Khashee had completed the same 796 kilometre delivery run for seventeen consecutive nights, most including shifts exceeding 12 hours, without adequate breaks of time to rest and recover between shifts. The company received AUS $1.35 million in fines, while Nagi was fined AUS$80,000. WorkSafe found the employer failed to prevent fatigue, provide training on its risks, and implement safe rostering systems, placing the driver and the public in danger.
WorkSafe Victoria. 24 September 2025

Australia: Uber ordered to pay lost wages in unfair deactivation first
The Fair Work Commission has ordered Uber to pay lost wages to Adelaide driver Mohammad Shareed Hotak, after ruling his two-month deactivation from the platform was “plainly unfair.” The Transport Workers Union brought the case, arguing the suspension followed false passenger accusations after Mohammad reported an assault. The Commission rejected Uber’s claim that reactivating him ended the matter, confirming gig workers now have enforceable rights under new laws. The ACTU hailed the decision as a breakthrough for platform workers.
ACTU news. 24 September 2025

Britain: Sign fitting company and director fined after fatal fall from scaffolding
WH Metals Limited and its director Waqas Hanif have been fined after employee Iftikhar Ahmed Mughal, 64, fell six feet from an unguarded scaffolding tower in Darwen, Lancashire, suffering fatal head injuries. The company was fined £45,000 with £4,826.21 costs and £2,000 victim surcharge. Hanif received a 26-week suspended prison sentence, £4,846.21 costs, and £154 victim surcharge.
HSE news release. 24 September 2025

Britain: Clacton family appeals for information after asbestos death
Karl Hughes is seeking answers about his father Maurice Hughes, who died aged 79 from mesothelioma, linked to asbestos exposure. Maurice worked as a glazer at Modern Art Glass in Thamesmead from 1970 to 1976, installing glass panels in hospitals and hotels. His role likely exposed him to asbestos fibres. Anyone who worked with Maurice at Modern Art Glass during the 1970s and has any information is urged to contact Rebecca Buxton at Irwin Mitchell on 0117 926 1552 or by emailing rebecca.buxton@irwinmitchell.com.
Clacton and Frinton Gazette. 24 September 2025

Britain: Union calls for action on rising assaults against London bus drivers
Unite has demanded tougher measures from Transport for London after new figures revealed 818 assaults and hate crimes against bus drivers in 2024, up over 20 per cent on the previous year. By mid-August 2025, there had already been 431 incidents, including a late-night attack where a driver was punched, robbed, and left injured despite triggering his alarm. Unite warned violence had surged since Covid, and urged TfL, the mayor and operators to do more to protect drivers.
BBC News online. 24 September 2025

Britain: HSE targets motor vehicle repair firms over asthma risk
The Health and Safety Executive has launched 1,000 inspections of motor vehicle repair businesses across Great Britain to tackle rising cases of occupational asthma among paint sprayers. The campaign will assess compliance with COSHH rules on isocyanate paints, requiring proper ventilation, air-fed breathing equipment, and clear safety procedures. Employers must also arrange biological monitoring and medical surveillance. Non-compliance could lead to enforcement action or unlimited fines.
HSE news release. 24 September 2025

Britain: Ford worker wins payout and treatment after rare asbestos cancer
Raymond Kent, 72, a former Ford Halewood worker and Unite member, has secured compensation and private immunotherapy funding after developing malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis, a rare asbestos-related cancer. Ford admitted breaching safety duty but disputed causation before settling out of court. With support from Unite, the Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support Group and Thompsons Solicitors, Mr Kent overturned benefit refusals, accessed early treatment, and gained financial security for his family.
Thompsons news release. 23 September 2025

South Korea: Bosses jailed for deadly battery plant fire
A South Korean court has sentenced Aricell chief executive Park Soon-kwan to 15 years in prison after a fire at the company’s Hwaseong factory in June 2024 killed 23 workers, including 18 foreign nationals, and injured eight. Prosecutors said changes made to the plant prevented escape, while investigators found safety measures and training were lacking. Park’s son, also an executive, received the same sentence plus a fine. The fire, fuelled by 35,000 battery cells, burned for hours.
BBC News. 23 September 2025

Global: Violence in GP surgeries linked to waiting times and drug refusals
A global study spanning 24 countries has found that up to nine in ten GP staff have faced abuse from patients, often triggered by long waiting times or refusal to prescribe requested drugs. Female, younger and less experienced staff suffer most, with aggression ranging from verbal threats to assaults involving weapons. The British Journal of General Practice paper warns such violence damages mental health and drives staff to quit, while UK medical leaders condemned the behaviour as “entirely unacceptable.”
The Guardian. 23 September 2025

Europe: Climate risks headline worker safety concerns
A major EU-OSHA survey of more than 28,000 workers across Europe reveals that one in three face climate-related risks such as extreme heat, poor air quality or intense sun exposure, with outdoor sectors like farming and construction worst affected. Nearly one in ten report heat-related illness, and eco-anxiety is growing. The survey also finds 44 per cent of workers under severe time pressure, widespread stigma around mental health, and rising risks from digital monitoring and AI-driven task allocation.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. 23 September 2025

Europe: OSH Barometer launches section on digitalisation risks
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has expanded its OSH Barometer data visualisation tool with a new section on the risks of digitalisation at work. Using findings from the OSH Pulse survey and Eurostat, and covering all EU states plus Iceland and Norway, the update highlights how digital technologies influence work pace, autonomy, and workload. It also examines impacts on remote working, performance, and environmental and health monitoring.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. September 2025

Europe: Firms increase exports of banned pesticides despite pledge to stop
An investigation by Greenpeace’s Unearthed and Public Eye has revealed that EU chemical firms are exporting rising volumes of pesticides deemed too dangerous for use in Europe, despite a 2020 pledge to end the practice. Export notifications show planned shipments rose from 81,600 tonnes in 2018 to 122,000 tonnes in 2024, with Germany the biggest exporter. Many of the toxic products, including glufosinate and mancozeb, are destined for poorer countries, though the US is the single largest recipient.
The Guardian. 23 September 2025

Canada: Poor job quality linked to higher risk of deaths of despair in Canada
A major Institute for Work and Health study tracking 2.8 million Canadians found that people in precarious jobs face two to three times higher risks of dying from suicide, drug poisoning or alcohol-related causes than those in stable, well-paid work. Women in insecure jobs were especially vulnerable, with triple the risk of fatal overdoses compared to women in standard jobs. The study shows that declining job quality fuels despair, highlighting the need for fair pay, stability and security in work.
CCOHS Health and Safety Report. September 2025

India: Seminar tackles toxic work culture for India’s young professionals
India’s young professionals face burnout and anxiety from long hours, AI-related pressures and insecure contracts. Particularly sriking is the report of 500 suicides in banking due to overwork. In response, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), UNI Asia & Pacific Professionals and Managers Group, and the All-India Bank of Baroda Officers Association (AIBOBOA), with UNI Global Union P&M, held a seminar in Mumbai on 12 September. Speakers warned of rising suicides, shrinking unionisation and “hustle culture.” They urged stronger unions and collaboration with policymakers to protect mental health and restore dignity at work.
UNI news release. 19 September 2025

Jersey: Employment board faces charges over fatal gas blast
The States Employment Board, which employs Jersey’s public servants, is to be prosecuted for two health and safety offences after a gas explosion in St Helier killed 10 people in December 2022. The Health and Safety Inspectorate’s investigation focused on the fire service and its control centre’s actions the day before the blast at Haut du Mont. Offences carry the risk of unlimited fines.
BBC news online. 19 September 2025

Britain: Building firm fined after employee killed by collapsing wall
H. Mealing & Sons Limited has been fined £56,775 and £44,000 in costs after employee Gary Anstey, 57, was crushed to death by a 1.8-metre retaining wall at Swainswick School in Bath on 19 March 2019. The father and recent grandad suffered fatal injuries when aggregate was placed against the incomplete, unsupported wall.
HSE news release. 18 September 2025.

Britain: Stagecoach Manchester in ‘insulting’ toilet message shame
Stagecoach has been condemned after telling bus drivers in Manchester to urinate in bottles if needed, with Unite calling the message “insulting” and highlighting the company’s failure to provide proper facilities. Workers said schedules leave no time for breaks and female drivers stressed the message ignored their needs, especially after toilets at the end of the 192 route were closed. Unite vowed to keep campaigning for “toilet dignity”. Over 1,000 Stagecoach drivers are also striking over pay.
Unite news release. 18 September 2025

Britain: Company fined £266,000 after worker crushed between two lorries
Barrett Steel Limited has been fined after a woman was left with multiple fractures, soft tissue injuries and psychological trauma when crushed between two lorries in Scunthorpe in February 2022. The employee, who was checking her load, was pinned against her vehicle by a reversing lorry and airlifted to hospital, where she remained for weeks. At Hull Crown Court the firm admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, receiving a £266,000 fine, £9,739.90 costs and a £190 surcharge.
Scunthorpe Live. 18 September 2025

Britain: Army major ended life after work and family stress
A Portsmouth inquest heard Major Nick Coles, of the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, was found by his wife hanging at their Andover home in August 2023. The 36-year-old worked 16-hour days and struggled with dyslexia, panic attacks, and balancing Army duties with caring for his baby daughter. His wife said he feared seeking help would damage his career. The coroner concluded he died by suicide.
Andover Advertiser. 18 September 2025

Britain: SWR expands use of body-worn cameras after rise in staff assaults
South Western Railway (SWR) is rolling out more body-worn cameras for customer-facing staff after assaults on workers reached more than two a day in 2025. British Transport Police figures show violent and public order offences have doubled since 2020–21. A poster campaign highlights potential consequences, including prison, court and police interviews. Research suggests cameras can cut assaults by 47 per cent.
BBC news online. 16 September 2025

Britain: “Serious gaps” in workplace hearing protection revealed
An HSE inspection campaign has found widespread failings in protecting workers from excessive noise. One in four workplaces had mandatory hearing protection levels, yet over 75 per cent of employees lacked basic knowledge on equipment care, and 80 per cent had no training on proper wearing techniques. Most concerning, 95 per cent of employers had not checked whether workers could still hear alarms or warning signals while using protection. HSE is promoting its CUFF system to improve compliance.
HSE news release. 10 September 2025

Britain: “Pervasive” insecure work bad for workers and economy, says TUC
The TUC has warned that insecure work is “pervasive” across the UK, with 4 million people – one in eight workers – in zero-hours, agency, casual or low-paid self-employed jobs. New analysis shows insecure work has risen by 800,000 since 2011, with women in care and service roles and BME workers disproportionately affected. The union body said low pay, cancelled shifts and lack of guaranteed hours trap workers in precarity, and urged the government to stand firm on the Employment Rights Bill.
TUC news release. 7 September 2025

Britain: Company fined after worker is crushed by car
Liverpool motor vehicle repair firm Car Spa & Tyres Ltd has been fined after a mechanic was crushed by a car that fell from a two-post lift at its Marvin Street premises on 23 November 2022. The 56-year-old, who had been preparing to pray during a break, suffered fractures to his spine, ribs, pelvis and leg, spending four months in hospital and left unable to work. The company was fined £40,000 plus £20,000 costs after HSE found no safe system or training in place.
Health and safety matters. 11 August 2025

Britain: Waste firm fined after worker crushed by excavator
A County Durham waste management company has been fined after a young employee was run over by an excavator in January 2024, sustaining fractures to both feet. Farm XS (Northern) Limited failed to implement a safe system of work, leaving the 24-year-old exposed to moving vehicles with no segregation or risk assessment. At Teesside Magistrates’ Court, the company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, receiving a £4,000 fine plus £4,285 costs.
HSE news release. 8 August 2025

Britain: ASLEF win as train drivers to get access to toilets at work
ASLEF has secured a major victory in its Dignity for Drivers campaign, with the industry agreeing to provide proper toilet facilities for train drivers. The Office of Rail and Road’s Richard Hines has written to all operators insisting staff must not go more than four hours without access to toilets, and that sanitary products be freely available. ASLEF leaders said the move ends years of indignity, when drivers were forced to relieve themselves in public or unsuitable containers.
ASLEF news release. 8 August 2025

Britain: Manchester firm fined after workers exposed to asbestos risks
A1 Property Maintenance Management Limited has been fined after workers were put at risk of asbestos exposure during work on the former Unicorn Pub in Eccles. An HSE inspector found 12 square metres of asbestos insulating board had been illegally removed, with debris later cleared by licensed contractors. The company failed to complete a full asbestos survey before resuming construction. It was fined £5,360 plus £5,117 costs for breaching asbestos regulations.
HSE news release. 7 August 2025.

Australia: Record sexual harassment win
A young migrant worker has secured a record payout of AUS$305,000 after repeated sexual harassment while employed casually as a supervisor at a Mad Mex franchise in New South Wales. Franchise owner Sonny Khan of Mexicali Enterprises Pty Ltd was found to have harassed her with explicit remarks, pornography, and unwanted physical contact, before victimising her through threats of defamation. The Court condemned the workplace culture that normalised sexism, stressing employers’ legal duty since 2022 to eliminate sexual harassment.
OHS reps . 6 August 2025

Indonesia: Asbestos industry sues activists in Indonesia over safety labelling
Campaigners in Indonesia are facing lawsuits from a powerful industry lobby that is resisting mandatory health warnings. The Fibre Cement Manufacturers’ Association claims chrysotile, or white asbestos, is harmless, despite WHO evidence linking it to cancers and mesothelioma. It is demanding huge damages and public apologies from unions and health groups that won a Supreme Court case for labelling. Union Aid Abroad warned Indonesia already sees over 1,000 asbestos deaths annually, with far higher numbers expected in coming decades.
ABC News (Australia). 6 August 2025

Britain: Sole trader fined after worker suffered serious injuries
A worker fell around 10 feet from a flat roof in Luton in December 2022, sustaining a fractured vertebra and a broken ankle, after no edge protection was in place. Gary Smith, trading as GJ Smith Roofing, pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations, marking a second HSE action against him for similar failings. He was fined £2,125 and ordered to pay £5,445 costs. HSE noted the injuries could have been avoided with proper planning and protective measures.
HSE news release. 5 August 2025

Britain: The Lancet Countdown highlights global health crisis from plastics
Plastics are causing widespread harm to human and planetary health, with disease and death across all ages and economic losses exceeding US$1.5 trillion annually, disproportionately affecting low-income populations. Production has surged from 2 megatonnes in 1950 to 475 Mt in 2022 and projected to reach 1,200 Mt by 2060. The Lancet reported 8,000 Mt of waste now pollute the planet, with under 10 per cent recycled.
Health Policy Online. 3 August 2025

Britain: All five missing miners confirmed dead after Chile copper mine collapse
Rescuers have recovered the bodies of all five miners trapped after a collapse at Chile’s El Teniente copper mine, following a 4.2 magnitude earthquake that also killed Paulo Marín and injured nine others. The last victim, Moisés Pavez, was found after drilling through metres of rock. Prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into possible safety violations and whether mining activity triggered the tremor. State-owned Codelco has suspended operations and evacuated 3,000 workers.
The Guardian, 3 August 2025

USA: Father’s job linked to higher colorectal cancer risk in children
A US study has found  children whose fathers worked in craft, operative, service or labouring occupations experience higher incidence rates of developing colorectal cancer later in life. Researchers tracked trends across 20,000 pregnancies and the families’ resulting children. Findings showed colorectal cancer incidence rates in offspring from the study were significantly higher in adults whose fathers worked in higher risk occupations, such as mechanics, spray painters and welders.
Caitlin C Murphy, Emanuelle M Dias, Piera M Cirillo, Nickilou Y Krigbaum, Barbara A Cohn. Father’s occupation and colorectal cancer in his adult offspring, JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1 August 2025.

Britain: Cleaner burned by chemicals on first day of job
A trainee cleaner suffered third-degree burns on his first day after kneeling in corrosive chemicals while cleaning ducts on a McDonald’s roof in Middlesbrough. Sent out with inadequate training and protective gear, he mistook a puddle of spilt oven cleaner for rainwater and later needed two skin grafts at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary. Northern Shire Facilities Management admitted health and safety failings at Teesside Crown Court, was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay over £24,000 costs.
BBC News. 31 July 2025

Global: Living hell? World-first comprehensive biological hazards law
Poisonous tobacco leaves? Beastly bugs? Bacteria, viruses, food dust, vermin or other creatures? No problem. Hazards says unions have just negotiated a stunning new ILO biological hazards law to protect workers worldwide from the occupational risks arising from plants, infections and animals or associated with other living things.
Hazards magazine, issue 170. July 2025

Global: Real rights - Don’t let technology be the boss of you
On 28 April 2025 - International Workers’ Memorial Day - workers worldwide made a stand for real rights on artificial intelligence, algorithmic management and automated decision making at work. Just weeks later unions won agreement that there should be global rules to protect platform workers.
Hazards magazine, issue 170. July 2025

Britain: Don't sweat it - Unions demand action on soaring workplace temperatures
Britain is facing record temperatures and more frequent heatwaves, making work not just unpleasant, but sometimes downright dangerous. Hazards editor Rory O’Neill says a TUC campaign has given union safety reps new tools to get bosses to cool it at work.
Hazards magazine, issue 170. July 2025

Britain: Bathroom break - Stand up for loo breaks
Sometimes, when you’ve got to go, you’ve really got to go. But, warns union organising expert Dave Smith, while the law requires employers to provide toilets for their staff, it doesn’t give workers the right to use them. This legal absurdity is humiliating – and can also lead to serious ill-health.
Hazards magazine, issue 170. July 2025

Britain: Survey finds police uniforms 'unfit for purpose'
A major survey of more than 20,000 officers and staff has found police uniforms in England and Wales are restrictive, unfit for purpose and linked to health issues. Over 60 per cent of men and 85 per cent of women reported conditions caused or worsened by uniform, while nearly half of Greater Manchester Police respondents described a negative experience. The Police Federation warned that ill-fitting kit and uncomfortable body armour endangered safety and demanded urgent investment, while chiefs pledged to set higher minimum standards. The survey is the first-ever National Police Uniform and Equipment Survey, created by researchers at the Lancaster University, in collaboration with PFEW and the National Uniform Portfolio as part of the NPCC, and supported by UNISON and the Superintendents’ Association.
Police Federation news. 31 July 2025

Britain: Tata Steel fined £1.5m after worker crushed to death
Tata Steel has been fined £1.5 million and ordered to pay £26,318.67 costs after contractor Justin Day, 44, was crushed to death by a moving steel beam at its Port Talbot plant in September 2019. Swansea Crown Court heard that Mr Day returned to a part-live area after being recalled over an oil leak and was fatally trapped by coil tilter machinery. Mr Day’s widow Zoe said her family had been “shattered” and “disgusted” by the lack of company support.
BBC News. 31 July 2025

Australia: Unions seek agreements on the use of AI in workplaces
Australian unions, led by ACTU, are calling for mandatory enforceable agreements to govern the introduction of AI at work. Ahead of August’s Economic Reform Roundtable, they propose employers be required to consult staff through binding AI Implementation Agreements, covering job security, training, transparency, and data privacy. The ACTU also wants a National AI Authority and Artificial Intelligence Act to regulate implementation.
ACTU. 29 July 2025

Germany: Sewage-induced landslide causes fatal train derailment
Three people were killed and 41 injured when a passenger train derailed after heavy rain caused an overflowing sewage shaft and subsequent landslide near Riedlingen, south-west Germany. The 27 July derailment killed the train driver, another rail employee and one passenger. Around 100 people were on board. Emergency crews attended the remote, forested crash site. Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed sympathy and pledged full support to responders. Investigations continue and clean-up is underway.
BBC News. 28 July 2025.

Britain: HSE launches easy read guides to support disabled workers
The Health and Safety Executive has released six new easy read guides aimed at helping disabled workers and those with long-term health conditions remain in or return to work. Designed with simple language and clear visuals, the guides support inclusive communication and complement HSE’s existing talking toolkit. They include information on legal rights, workplace barriers, and guidance for managers on inclusive conversations and reasonable adjustments. The resources also support those with learning disabilities or limited English.
HSE news release. 28 July 2025

Britain: RMT demands urgent action on escalating violence
The rail union RMT has called on Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to urgently address a surge in violence and anti-social behaviour on Southern and Gatwick Express services. Staff face daily assaults, threats, spitting, verbal abuse and intimidation, placing their physical and mental health at serious risk. Despite repeated appeals, GTR has not introduced sufficient safety measures. The union demands additional security staff, a visible enforcement presence, and a company-wide safety plan to protect workers. RMT warned industrial action could follow if no improvements are made. This campaign is part of RMT’s wider Action Against Assaults initiative to ensure zero tolerance of violence against transport workers.
RMT news. 26 July 2025

Britain: Thames Water accused of sacking worker safety whistleblower
The crisis-hit Thames Water faces accusations from the GMB union of unfairly dismissing a long-serving employee who raised health and safety concerns at Mogden Sewerage Treatment Works. The worker, with over 25 years’ service, was reportedly sacked for complaints made many months prior, which the union claims were not properly investigated by an external investigator. GMB suggests the dismissal may be linked to the worker’s union activities and calls for their reinstatement. Thames Water declined to comment on employee matters.
Morning Star. 25 July 2025

Britain: Property company and director prosecuted for fire safety breaches
Mark Sexton, sole director of 10 Park Crescent Management (Worthing) Limited, and the company itself were fined a total of £1,588 after failing to comply with fire safety laws at a block of flats in Worthing. Brighton Magistrates Court heard they ignored requests for a fire risk assessment, failed to maintain alarms and emergency lighting, and left an electrical cupboard on the main escape route unprotected.
West Sussex Country Council. 23 July 2025

Palestine: Humanitarians at risk in Gaza
The UN warns that escalating restrictions on aid are severely limiting health and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, where 28 children die each day. An "appalled" World Health Organisation stated on 21 July 2025 that humanitarians and health workers face “dangerous conditions” as operations are squeezed into a shrinking space.
WHO statement. 21 July 2025

USA: AFL-CIO slams Trump on safety cuts
The real-life consequences of the Trump administration’s devastating attacks on the US workplace safety system have been exposed by US national union federation AFL-CIO. In powerful 16 July 2025 testimony before the House Education and Workforce Committee, AFL-CIO health and safety director Rebecca Reindel warned that proposed cuts to the budget of the federal safety regulator OSHA would mean that it will take 266 years to inspect every workplace in the country, up from once every 186 years in 2024.
The Real News Network. 21 July 2025

Britain: Give HSE a role on sexual harassment - TUC
Workplace harassment and violence is a health and safety as well as an equality issue, the TUC has said, calling for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to play a greater role in its prevention. In a July 2025 response to an Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) call for evidence on equality law, the TUC said “we believe that there is a case for extending the health and safety framework and approach to workplace sexual harassment and violence particularly in terms of risk assessments and the reporting and recording of incidences similar to the RIDDOR framework.
TUC response to the Equality Law Call for Evidence report. 17 July 2025

Britain: Sick pay reforms to bring £2bn net gain for business, says TUC
The government’s plan to provide statutory sick pay from day one of illness will deliver a £2bn net annual benefit to businesses, according to new TUC-commissioned analysis by WPI Economics. The reforms, part of the Employment Rights Bill, will also yield £800m for the Exchequer and £700m for the wider economy by reducing health-related economic inactivity. The TUC says the current sick pay system is broken and that the changes are vital for both worker wellbeing and economic growth.
TUC news release.. 16 July 2025

Britain: Unite calls for standardised luggage rules to protect airport workers
Unite has demanded a UK-wide standard for airline hand luggage rules, saying current inconsistencies across airlines and airports are fuelling abuse against airport workers. Passengers caught out by surprise surcharges or rule differences are increasingly taking out their frustation on ground staff. General secretary Sharon Graham called the situation “totally unacceptable”. Unite, through its role in the European Transport Workers Federation, has supported EU standardisation and urged UK airlines to follow suit.
Morning Star. 15 July 2025

India: Heat crisis threatens workers’ lives and livelihoods
Over 700 people died and more than 40,000 suffered heatstroke in India in 2024, with construction, agriculture, and informal workers among the worst affected. The government’s heatwave response has been fragmented, with most Heat Action Plans lacking enforcement and funding. Advocates call for heatwaves to be classified as national disasters to unlock relief funds. Innovations like parametric insurance, night shifts, and infrastructure for cooling, lighting, and transport have been called for.
The Wire. 13 July 2025

Britain: Textile firm fined £300,000 after worker struck by vehicle
Textile firm JMP Wilcox & Co Limited been fined £300,000 plus £7,732 costs after an employee was hit by a telehandler, suffering serious injuries to his legs. The worker was using his pallet truck to return an empty cage when he was hit by the telescopic handler driven by another employee.
HSE news release. 11 July 2025

Britain: Cleaners work while sick as outsourcing pushes staff into poverty
A new RMT survey has revealed that 85 per cent of Tyne and Wear Metro cleaners employed by outsourcing firm Churchill have worked while sick, with 67 per cent saying they cannot afford to take time off. Staff also reported poverty pay, rising workloads and the absence of company sick pay or a proper pension. Churchill paid a £43.9 million dividend last year, much of it to private equity. RMT is calling on the North East Mayor to end outsourcing when the current contract ends in 2026.
RMT news release. 11 July 2025

Global: Call to prioritise health in global plastics treaty
Writing in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Nicholas Chartres and co-authors warn that that health must be a core concern in the UN’s proposed plastics treaty. The draft text overlooks serious risks posed by plastic chemicals such as PFAS and phthalates, linked to cancer, infertility and other chronic illnesses. The authors call for a lifecycle approach to plastics regulation, including production caps, bans on toxic additives, and mandatory health impact assessments. Treaty talks resume in August 2025.
Negotiating the plastics treaty to protect health and the environment, Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 10 July 2025

Britain: Nursing home boss fined for overcrowded, illegal staff housing
A nursing home director has been fined £60,200 for housing staff in three overcrowded and unlicensed HMOs across Epping Forest. Jayanti Patel, of Martlane Ltd, was found to have breached housing regulations, including failing to install fire alarms.
EssexLive. 10 July 2025

Britain: TUC webinar to examine upper limb disorders and legal rights
Thousands of workers suffer each year from work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs), and a TUC webinar on 16 July will address how to support them. Thompsons Solicitors will guide union reps through common risks, legal protections, and how to challenge unsafe practices. Attendees will receive a TUC digital credential and live captions will be provided.
TUC. Register for Handling WRULDs at Work: What Union Reps need to know. 10 July 2025

Britain: Lone fisher drowned after entanglement during fishing gear
Hugh MacLachlan, 58, died after being pulled overboard and dragged underwater by creel fishing gear near the Isle of Luing on 13 December 2023. The unmanned vessel continued and grounded hours later. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch reported there was no way for MacLachlan to free himself or raise alarm, leaving him little chance of survival. The report highlighted persistent hazards of creel operations on single-handed fishing vessels but made no specific recommendations.
Marine Accident Investigation Branch. BBC news online. 10 July 2025

Britain: Airline caterer fined £2.4m after worker’s death
DO & CO Event and Airline Catering Limited has been fined £2.45 million and £47,091 in costs after agency worker Kumar Limbu, 60, was crushed to death by a forklift truck while loading goods at the firm’s Heathrow depot on 11 April 2023.
Daily Mail. 9 July 2025

Global: Unite celebrates landmark ILO convention on biological hazards
Unite has welcomed a new ILO convention on biological hazards in the workplace, adopted in Geneva on 13 June. The agreement, shaped with key input from Unite’s Rob Miguel, covers pandemics, whistleblower protections, and workers’ rights to refuse dangerous work. It addresses physical and mental health, climate impacts, and high-risk sectors including health and agriculture. Unite will incorporate the convention into future training.
Unite Live. 9 July 2025

Britain: BMW bosses unfairly dismissed disabled worker after spying on him
Mohamed Kerita, who suffered back pain qualifying as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, was unfairly dismissed by BMW after managers covertly surveilled him, doubting his symptoms. The employment tribunal found disability discrimination, failure to make reasonable adjustments, and unfair dismissal.
BBC news online. 9 July 2025

India: Neglect and dust: how safety failures killed 42 at Sigachi pharma factory
An explosion at a Sigachi Industries factory in Telangana on 30 June killed 42 workers. It was caused by the ignition of microcrystalline cellulose dust in a malfunctioning dryer and highlighted problems with neglected safety systems, faulty alarms and outdated machinery.
Outlook. 9 July 2025

South Korea; Workers mobilise for asbestos ban amid rising health concerns
Thousands of workers and trade unionists marched in Seoul in June 2025 demanding a full asbestos ban and better protections for victims of asbestos-related diseases. Organised by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the protest called on the government to enforce stricter regulations, provide health screenings, and compensate affected workers.
IBAS Secretariat. 8 July 2025

Britain: Teachers strike after Jamaican staff ‘targeted’ at London school
Teachers at Harris Beckenham secondary school in south London are striking for two days after Jamaican staff complained of being targeted, underpaid by up to £10,000, and bullied. The National Education Union (NEU) highlighted severe overwork, stress, and denied union rights, accusing management of unfair scrutiny and harassment of overseas-trained Jamaican teachers vulnerable due to visa status.
Evening Standard. 8 July 2025

Britain: Sexual harassment of women rife across UK workplaces
Sexual harassment remains widespread and under-reported across UK workplaces, according to a landmark survey by Unite. The poll of women members across all 19 sectors the union represents found one in four had been sexually assaulted at work, with eight per cent subjected to sexual coercion. Despite this, 75 per cent of those affected did not report the incidents. Unite is calling for stronger legal protections, mandatory training, and employer accountability. The union's campaign follows poor enforcement of the Worker Protection Act 2023.
Unite news release. 8 July 2025

Britain: Post Office Horizon scandal: lost livelihoods, lost freedom, lost lives
The Horizon inquiry found the Post Office scandal may have led to over 13 suicides and drove 59 people to contemplate suicide. Chair Sir Wyn Williams condemned the Post Office’s “adversarial” approach to compensation and found senior staff knew Horizon software was faulty. Nearly 1,000 subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted, and 10,000 are now seeking redress. Williams made 19 recommendations, including a fixed £600,000 offer for victims. Unite has called attention to Fujitsu’s role, which remains largely unchallenged.
Morning Star. 8 July 2025

Britain: Post Office scandal may have led to more than 13 suicides
More than 13 suicides, and at least 59 more driven to contemplate suicide, have been linked to the Horizon IT scandal, according to the first report of the public inquiry. Sir Wyn Williams found that 10,000 people are now seeking compensation - far more than the 1,000 prosecuted - due to the severe mental, financial and social harm caused by false accusations.
The Guardian. 8 July 2025

Britain: London Energy Ltd fined £400,000 after council worker crushed
London Energy Ltd was fined £400,000 and ordered to pay £5,573 in costs after an Enfield Council worker was crushed by a shovel loader at their Edmonton site on 13 May 2022. The worker sustained serious injuries.
Evening Standard. 8 July 2025

Britain: Bereavement leave extended to cover early pregnancy loss
Families who experience pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will gain the legal right to bereavement leave under amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. The change, welcomed by unions and campaigners, ensures time off to grieve without risking job security. Unison praised the move as essential for recovery, while the TUC said it would help build a fairer, more decent society.
Morning Star. 7 July 2025

Britain: Unite slams Labour’s inaction on zero-hours contracts
Unite delegates condemned the Labour government’s failure to ban zero-hours contracts after a year in office during the union’s policy conference. Nancy Taaffe of the London & Eastern region highlighted their use against striking Birmingham bin workers and said Labour had rushed emergency laws before, but left anti-union legislation intact. She called for urgent repeal of “rotten” trade union laws to allow unions to better fight for pay, jobs and permanent work.
Morning Star. 7 July 2025

Britain: NDAs used to silence victims of harassment to be banned
Non-disclosure agreements will no longer be enforceable if used to silence victims of sexual harassment or discrimination under new amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said it was “time we stamped this practice out”. The move follows high-profile cases involving Harvey Weinstein and Mohamed Al Fayed. Campaigner Zelda Perkins welcomed the changes, calling them a “huge milestone” in protecting workers’ rights.
BBC news online. 7 July 2025

Cambodia: WHO monitors surge in avian flu cases
The World Health Organization has reported 11 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) in Cambodia between January and July 2025, including seven in June alone – an unusual monthly spike. Since 2023, 27 human cases have been reported in the country, with 12 deaths. Most infections followed contact with sick backyard poultry. While WHO assesses the current public risk as low, it warns that occupational exposure carries a low to moderate risk depending on controls in place.
WHO Disease Outbreak News. 5 July 2025

Scotland: Teen’s thumb re-attached after injury during hotel renovation
3B Construction Limited was fined £40,000 at Tain Sheriff Court after an 18-year-old apprentice lost his thumb while using a portable table saw on a luxury hotel conversion in the Highlands. The thumb was successfully reattached, but the apprentice has permanent swelling, reduced bending, and discomfort in cold weather. HSE found the company failed to risk assess the saw, ensure safe supervision, and provide adequate training.
HSE news release. 4 July 2025

Britain: Workers must be protected from AI harms, says Hazards Campaign
AI and digital surveillance are endangering workers’ mental and physical health, warns Janet Newsham of the Hazards Campaign. Writing for the IER, she says AI-driven work intensification, micromanagement and dehumanisation are worsening stress, burnout and injury risks. She calls for stronger union oversight, meaningful consultation, and full enforcement of employers’ legal duties under health and safety law. The campaign urges unions to monitor algorithmic harms and use collective power to hold employers to account.
Institute of Employment Rights. 4 July 2025

Britain: Over half a million LGBT+ workers face harassment, says TUC
Bullying, discrimination and harassment of LGBT+ workers is “pervasive”, the TUC warns, with more than 550,000 experiencing mistreatment and 300,000 feeling especially at risk because of their identity. The TUC says over one million LGBT+ workers stand to benefit from the Employment Rights Bill, which introduces protections from third-party abuse such as by customers and patients. Unions have welcomed the bill as a vital step towards dignity, respect and safety for LGBT+ people at work.
TUC news. 4 July 2025

Britain: MPs urge asbestos removal and ban on Altrad contracts
MPs have called for a ban on public contracts with Altrad, owner of former asbestos giant Cape Plc, and for a national programme to remove asbestos from public buildings. A new parliamentary report condemned Cape’s role in concealing the lethal dangers of asbestos.
Morning Star. 4 July 2025

Britain: Teen’s thumb severed after safety failings by construction firm
An 18-year-old apprentice joiner had his thumb severed by a rotating table saw blade during hotel renovation work in the Highlands. An HSE investigation found that 3B Construction failed to properly assess risks, supervise the work, or provide adequate training and safeguards. The company pleaded guilty to breaches of health and safety law and was fined £40,000, with costs of £3,500. .
HSE news release. 4 July 2025

Britain: Worker loses leg after preventable fall during lorry loading
Osprey Foods Ltd has been fined £66,000 and £5,850 costs after a worker’s leg was amputated following a fall during lorry loading in Norfolk. The HGV drove off while the worker was still inside, causing him to fall. A broken traffic light system - unrepaired for weeks - misled the driver into thinking it was safe to move.
HSE news release. 4 July 2025

Europe: Europe's waste workers at risk
Waste collection and handling is one of Europe’s most dangerous jobs, a new report warns, and says climate change, new technology and privatisation and among the pressures making it worse. The European Public Service Union’s (EPSU) July 2025 report highlights the ‘alarming’ risks faced by nearly one million workers keeping Europe's towns and cities clean. One major issue raised by the report is extreme heat, with Europe regularly enduring summer temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius.
PSU news release. 2 July 2025

France: Ubisoft executives sentenced over culture of harassment
Three former Ubisoft executives have received suspended prison sentences in France for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment at the company’s Paris offices between 2012 and 2020. The court described a toxic workplace, likened by staff to a “boys’ club above the law”. Former creative director Serge Hascoët was fined €45,000, while former editorial VP Thomas François received a €30,000 fine and Guillaume Patrux was fined €10,000. The case marks a major #MeToo milestone in the gaming industry.
Guardian. 2 July 2025

Britain: TUC report exposes workplace abuse of disabled workers
Almost half of all disabled workers have faced bullying or harassment in the past year, the TUC reports, with many citing verbal abuse, exclusion and threats. Only a quarter who reported mistreatment felt complaints were handled fairly. Fear of discrimination deters disclosure, and over 30 per cent said performance or mental health has suffered.
Morning Star. Bullying, harassment and discrimination of Disabled people in the workplace TUC report - June 2025. 2 July 2025

Britain: Unite response to Employment Rights Bill, Roadmap
Responding to the publication of the government’s roadmap for the implementation of the employment rights bill, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:“Workers have been crying out for decent employment rights for decades. While being far from perfect, this bill does go some way towards levelling the playing field. It is important that many key collective rights in the bill will come into effect relatively quickly. But it is disappointing that the government has created a long and winding road before other much needed rights come into effect.”
Unite news release. 2 July 2025

Britain: Workplace death reduction no cause for celebration, says IOSH
The UK saw 124 workplace fatalities last year, 14 fewer than the previous year, continuing a long-term decline from 223 deaths 20 years ago. However, IOSH stressed that this reduction “is no cause for celebration,” with nearly two and a half deaths every week still occurring. Ruth Wilkinson, IOSH’s head of policy, said every death represents families and colleagues devastated by preventable accidents. The construction sector had the highest fatalities (35), with falls from height the leading cause. Forty per cent of deaths were workers aged 60 or over.
IOSH. 2 July 2025

Britain: Construction firm fined £165,000 for fire safety failures
Glovers Court Ltd, an Altrincham construction company now in liquidation, was fined £165,000 and ordered to pay £10,512 costs after repeatedly failing to provide fire safety measures during renovation of a former warehouse into 35 apartments in Preston. Despite prohibition and improvement notices, work continued without fire alarms, detection, or compartmentation, putting workers and residents at risk.
HSE news release. 2 July 2025

Global: Content moderators demand better protection
Content moderators exposed to graphic violence online are uniting to demand better protection. Workers from Turkey to the Philippines report trauma, sleeplessness and poor support, while tech giants outsource moderation to firms accused of union-busting and offer only superficial care. The Global Trade Union Alliance of Content Moderators is pushing for binding mental health protocols.
Context. 1 July 2025

Britain: NEU backs call for asbestos removal from schools
The National Education Union has supported a report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health calling for government-led asbestos removal from public buildings. General secretary Daniel Kebede warned that most schools still contain asbestos, putting staff and children at risk.
NEU press release. 1 July 2025

Britain: Carers suffer 6,500 violent attacks in five years
More than half of care workers suffer violence including being bitten, headbutted or choked at work, a GMB investigation has shown. A survey of more than 1,700 GMB care workers found 52 per cent said they had been physically assaulted at work. Calling for tougher sentences on offenders, GMB pointed to the findings of its Freedom of information to the Health and Safety Executive reveals that, in the past five years, care workers have suffered 6,469 reported injuries serious enough to prevent them from doing for job for at least seven days.
GMB news release. 30 June 2025

Britain: Nottingham builder spared jail after gas explosion injures worker
Barry Newman, sole trader of Foster Brother Builders, was given a 12-month suspended sentence, 240 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £2,000 costs after a gas explosion caused severe burns to a worker’s hands, legs, face and scalp. The injured man is unable to work since the incident. Newman failed to carry out a risk assessment or provide suitable equipment, breaching the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
HSE news release. 27 June 2025

Britain: fine after council worker crushed at London waste facility
A waste and recycling company has been fined £400,000 and costs of costs of £5,573 after a council worker was crushed between vehicles at a London waste facility in May 2022. Paul McDaid, a 58-year-old Enfield Council employee, sustained very serious injuries when a shovel loader reversed into him.
HSE news release. 27 June 2025

Britain: Firm fined £100,000 after nine workers suffer vibration injuries
Chemical manufacturer Robinson Brothers Ltd has been fined £100,000 and £6,761.40 in costs after nine employees developed Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome due to prolonged use of vibrating tools over 14 years.
HSE news release. 27 June 2025

Britain: TUC urges protection for outdoor workers as heat alert issued
With an amber heat health alert in effect from Friday 27 June to Tuesday 1 July across several regions of England, the TUC has warned outdoor workers face serious heat risks including heat stress, dehydration and even skin cancer. The union is calling on employers to take urgent steps such as avoiding outdoor work during peak heat hours (11am–3pm), providing water, shaded rest areas, sunscreen, and lightweight protective gear. Although the UK has no legal maximum working temperature, Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act gives workers the right to withdraw from unsafe conditions.
TUC news release. 26 June 2025

Britain: Downing Street petition demands airborne infection protections in healthcare
On 26 June, Janet Newsham of the UK Hazards Campaign will deliver a petition to 10 Downing Street urging the government to introduce new airborne infection prevention measures in health and social care settings. Backed by healthcare professionals, unions, and campaigners, the petition calls for ventilation and PPE standards, regular monitoring, and legal enforcement to protect staff and vulnerable patients. The move follows the recent winter “quaddemic” and continued concerns over airborne spread of viruses like Covid-19.
Hazards Campaign news release. 26 June 2025

Britain: Company fined after worker is crushed by car
A Liverpool motor vehicle repair company, Car Spa & Tyres Ltd, was fined £40,000 with £20,000 costs after a car fell from a two-post lift and crushed a mechanic preparing to pray during his break. The man suffered multiple serious fractures and spent four months in hospital; he is now highly dependent on others and unlikely to work again. The Health and Safety Executive found the company failed to train staff or ensure safe lift operation, breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
HSE news release. 25 June 2025

Britain: Train firms criticised over breastfeeding facilities
Train companies were condemned at the RMT AGM for not providing safe, private spaces for breastfeeding staff. The union said many workers are forced to express milk in toilets during breaks and has written to firms demanding action, with no satisfactory replies. Delegates backed a motion to include proper breastfeeding provisions in all RMT agreements—such as clean, warm rooms (not toilets), secure fridges, flexible hours, and break allowances.
Morning Star. 24 June 2025

Britain: Co-op staff say lone working puts them at risk amid shoplifting surge
Co-op workers say they’re being left to work alone on shop floors despite rising threats from shoplifters, including knife-wielding offenders. The rollout of Project Lunar, which extends lone working to 60 stores, has sparked concern. Workers report feeling unsafe, especially during cyber-related stock issues with 80 per cent saying understaffing endangers them.
The Guardian. 24 June 2025

Britain: Minister to meet delivery firms over illegal migrant working claims
The government will meet Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats after reports vulnerable asylum seekers are working illegally as couriers within days of arrival. Migrants were allegedly renting Deliveroo workers' app accounts. Delivery firms say they are tightening ID checks.
BBC news. 24 June 2025

Britain: Ignoring sexual harassment in healthcare puts patient safety at risk
Healthcare staff who 'turn a blind eye' to sexual harassment in the workplace risk patient safety, warn doctors. The British Medical Association (BMA) called for mandatory active bystander training to help staff challenge inappropriate behaviour and are pushing for a national anonymous reporting system. A motion put to conference urged NHS trusts to use external investigators for misconduct cases rather than internal procedures.
Morning Star. 24 June 2025

Britain: Transport workers angry at growing violence
More than threequarters of frontline public transport workers say they are ready to take industrial action if employers continue to fail to protect them from escalating violence and abuse, a survey by their union RMT has found. The responses from over 6,000 RMT members across rail, bus, metro, maritime and underground sectors revealed 63 per cent experienced workplace violence in the past year, and over 85 per cent assaulted multiple times. The majority of cases involved verbal abuse, with many also facing threats, physical assaults, and harassment including racist and sexist abuse. Notably, 61 per cent of the most serious incidents occurred during lone working.
RMT news. 23 June 2025

Britain: RMT warns of intolerable rail stress
Intolerable stress levels on Network Rail could lead to industrial action if unsafe staffing issues are not addressed, transport union RMT has warned. Delegates to the union’s June 2025 conference condemned the “modernising maintenance” programme, which Network Rail forced through without a union agreement, cutting planned maintenance by 50 per cent, reducing frontline staff and imposing wholesale changes to working practices.
Morning Star. 23 June 2025

Britain: NEU joins call to delay Ofsted reforms
The NEU, NASUWT, ASCL and NAHT have written to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urging her to delay Ofsted’s revised inspection plans until the 2026/27 academic year. NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said the current system is fuelling a crisis in workload and staff mental health, and Ofsted’s rushed timeline shows how out of touch it remains. He said meaningful reform cannot be achieved by November and warned that the planned rollout will only cause panic across schools.
NEU press release. 23 June 2025

Britain: Meat firm fined £140,000 after worker severs finger
C & K Meats Limited has been fined £140,000 plus £5,513.47 costs after a 31-year-old Ukrainian worker severed part of his finger using hydraulic cutters not intended for pig tail removal. The HSE found the company failed to follow its own procedures and provided training only in English, despite employing migrant workers. The incident occurred in April 2022 at the firm’s Suffolk site.
HSE news release. 20 June 2025

Britain: Construction firm fined £50,000 after house collapse injures four
Aryn Stones Ltd has been fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £39,000 in costs after a partially built house in Hampstead, London, collapsed during remedial work, seriously injuring two workers and injuring two more. The collapse occurred on 31 May 2022 when a welder cut a steel beam while props were being removed. HSE found the firm failed to manage temporary works and prevent structural collapse.
HSE news release. 20 June 2025

Britain: Inquest verdict an ‘enormous disappointment’
The family of a soldier who was found dead in his barracks have described an open verdict at the inquest into his death as “an enormous disappointment”. Coroner Jon Heath said he was unable to determine whether L/Cpl Bernard Mongan, 33 , who had made several complaints of bullying by his superior officers, had intended to kill himself. The coroner said the cause of his death was “unascertained” despite a post-mortem examination, but Mr Mongan's widow Beth said she believed he took his own life having been “badly let down by the Army.”
BBC news online. 19 June 2025

Britain: Diesel fitter gets asbestos cancer
A former marine diesel fitter who developed mesothelioma, a terminal cancer almost exclusively caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, has said the news has been ‘incredibly difficult’ to come to terms with. Barry Hanrahan, 75, spent five years as an apprentice at Manchester Dry Docks Co Ltd in the 1960s. During this time, he was regularly exposed to asbestos dust and fibres while working in the engine rooms of docked ships. Barry says he was never made aware of the dangers of working with asbestos, nor was he provided with any protective equipment or safety information.
Thompsons news release. 19 June 2025

Britain: Ithaca Energy fined £300,000 over flooded lift shaft on North Sea platform
Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited has been fined £300,000 after three workers were partially submerged in a water-filled lift shaft on the FPF-1 platform in the North Sea in December 2020. The lift began flooding during descent, reaching the crew’s knees before they activated the emergency stop. An HSE investigation found failures in procedures and monitoring systems. Although no one was injured, the incident was described as “terrifying”.
HSE news release. 17 June 2025

Britain: NHS 999 call handlers quitting amid trauma, stress and burnout
Over a quarter of ambulance control room staff have quit in the past three years, with many citing relentless trauma, long shifts, low pay and lack of support. A Unison report found call handlers are regularly exposed to distressing emergencies, including suicides and stabbings, and suffer high levels of burnout. Staff take an average of 33 sick days a year - far above the UK average - with some taking months off.
The Guardian. 17 June 2025

Britain: NHS staff uneasy as patients film treatments for social media
NHS radiographers are raising concerns about patients filming their medical care for TikTok and Instagram without staff consent. The Society of Radiographers says this trend risks breaching staff privacy and other patients’ confidentiality. The publicly scrutiny and identifiication is making staff feel uncomfortable and anxoius.".
The Guardian. 17 June 2025

Britain Abuse of bin and recycling workers rising across South East
Recycling and refuse staff across the South East are facing rising abuse, including racial slurs, threats, and physical attacks. In East Sussex, two Veolia workers were deliberately run over. Since 2020, over 250 abuse cases were recorded in East Sussex and Brighton.
BBC news online. 17 June 2025

China: Fireworks factory explosion kills 9, injures 26
An explosion at a fireworks factory in Linli County, Hunan Province, killed nine people and injured 26 others on Monday morning.
Xinhua net. 17 June 2025

Britain: Food supplier fined over serious hygiene and safety breaches
Tahira Foods Ltd has been fined £156,000 after repeated food hygiene and health and safety violations were found at its Stretford warehouse. Inspections revealed meat and cheese stored at room temperature, staff climbing on pallets, and an unsafe forklift operated by unlicensed drivers. The company was also ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge and £14,716.88 in costs.
trafford.gov. 16 June 2025

Britain: Women who work nightshifts are more likely to have asthma
Women who work night shifts are more than 50 per cent more likely to suffer from moderate or severe asthma than women who work during the day. There was no association between working night shifts and asthma in men. Researchers from the University of Manchester analysed data from nearly 270,000 shift workers and found the risk was more pronounced in women who only worked nights and in postmenopausal women who were not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The University of Manchester news. 16 June 2025

Britain: Tackling high temperatures at work - TUC seminar
High temperatures are a major problem in the workplace, especially during summer. Excessive heat can cause dizziness, fainting, and heat cramps, posing serious health risks. Workers in outdoor sites, warehouses, and kitchens are particularly vulnerable. Union reps play a crucial role in advocating for safer conditions.
Join Shelly Asquith, Health and Safety Policy Officer at the TUC, and Miranda Irwin, Coordinator at Heat Strike, to learn how reps can organise for cooler and safer workplaces.
Tackling high temperatures at work, Wednesday 18 June 2025, 14:00- 15:00 • Register

Europe: EU agrees on chemical transparency law
EU institutions have reached a political agreement on the One Substance, One Assessment (OSOA) package after two months of talks. The law aims to streamline access to chemical safety data via a central platform, highlight independent research to balance industry influence, and act on early signs of chemical harm.
Client Earth . 13 June 2025

Britain: Site supervisor fined for exposing pupils and staff to asbestos
Adrian Barraclough was fined £1,800, £4,000 in costs and a £720 victim surcharge after cutting through asbestos insulating board with a circular saw during kitchen renovations at Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Bristol. Asbestos fibres spread into the school hall, which pupils and staff used for two days. He ignored instructions not to disturb the material.
HSE news release. 13 June 2025

Britain: Demolition firm fined over fall that left worker with serious injuries
Lawrie (Demolition) Ltd has been fined £40,562.50 after a worker fell six metres through an unprotected roof opening during a warehouse demolition in Aberdeen. The 42-year-old suffered a fractured pelvis and broken ribs and can no longer run or cycle.
HSE news release. 12 June 2025

India: Outrage as sugar cane workers in India pushed into hysterectomies
Women in Maharashtra’s Beed district are still being pressured into hysterectomies to avoid missing work due to menstruation, say activists. Despite reforms following a 2019 report showing a 36 per cent hysterectomy rate - far above the national average - campaigners report little real change. Driven by poverty, lack of paid leave, and threats of wage loss or fines, women are told the surgery will help them work more.
The Guardian. 12 June 2025

Britain: Taylor Wimpey fined £800k after apprentice injured in fall
Taylor Wimpey was fined £800,000 with £6,240.25 costs after 17-year-old apprentice Charlie Marsh fell through a temporary stairwell cover while working at a Weston-super-Mare housing site in August 2023. He sustained hand, wrist, and shoulder injuries when the cover, lacking required back propping, collapsed under stacked concrete blocks. The HSE found the firm failed to follow its own safety procedures. Taylor Wimpey pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety law.
HSE news. 12 June 2025

Britain: Firm fined but no jail time after repeatedly ignoring safety warnings
A Lincolnshire gate maker has been fined £80,000 for repeatedly breaching safety laws despite six HSE visits and multiple enforcement notices. Research and Development in Opening Gates Ltd failed to fix dangerous machinery, unsafe welding fume controls, and unstable structures. Prosecution followed extended deadlines and continued non-compliance. The firm was also ordered to pay £7,495.72 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge. HSE condemned the “catalogue of failures” and warned safety obligations aren’t optional.
HSE news release. 12 June 2025

Canada: Veteran’s family awarded benefits over asbestos-linked cancer
A Canadian military veteran’s spouse has won full disability benefits after a review panel linked his prostate cancer to long-term asbestos exposure aboard navy warships. The late veteran, who served as a marine engineer from 1955 to 1979, spent decades working in boiler rooms without protective equipment and later developed metastatic cancer.
CTV news. 11 June 2025

Global: Sanitary products to be provided for female seafarers
The latest amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), adopted in June 2025, will require ships to provide adequate menstrual hygiene products and safe disposal methods. This follows years of pressure from Nautilus International. The measures will come into force by December 2027, implementation will fall to flag states. Nautilus women’s lead Rachel Lynch welcomed the move but emphasised the need for close monitoring of its rollout, particularly on practical aspects like storage and disposal.
Nautilus. 11 June 2025

Global: 54 million children exposed to hazardous work
Despite a near 50 per cent drop since 2000, child labour continues to affect 138 million children globally, with 54 million in hazardous conditions, according to a new ILO–UNICEF report. While Asia and Latin America saw notable reductions, sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for nearly two-thirds of child labour, with numbers stagnant due to population growth. The report urges investment in social protection, quality education, and decent work for adults to prevent families from resorting to child labour.
ILO News. 11 June 2025

Britain: Private hire drivers fear race riots will recur
A GMB survey of nearly 400 private hire cabbies found 85 per cent feared race riots will happen again this summer.. Almost half were affected by last year’s riots, facing threats such as knives, machetes, racial abuse and stones thrown at cars. Many felt too scared to work with one saying they now carry a a baseball bat for protection.
GMB news. 10 June 2025

Global: New risk control model tackles physical and psychosocial hazards
Researchers have developed and tested a new Work Systems Hierarchy of Control (WS-HOC) to address limitations in the current hierarchy of control (HOC), which is less effective for psychosocial hazards. The WS-HOC comprises three levels - elimination, system redesign, and individual actions - with categories applicable to both physical and psychosocial risks. Applied to paramedics using the APHIRM toolkit, the WS-HOC offered a unified, practical framework for assessing risk controls. Further research is needed to evaluate its relevance across other occupations.
A Work Systems Hierarchy of Controls: Analysis of Risk Controls Developed by Paramedics. Karen Davies, Victoria Weale, Jodi Oakman First published: 10 June 2025 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23741. 10 June 2025

Britain: GMB demands end to NHS privatisation as worker speaks of suicidal crisis
A Sheffield NHS worker told GMB Congress she became suicidal from overwork, as the union demanded an end to NHS privatisation. Sarah Young, from Sheffield Children’s Hospital, revealed she had been overwhelmed with unmanageable workloads. The statement, backed unanimously at GMB’s Brighton conference, calls for all outsourced services to return in-house and private-sector influence to be removed from care boards.
Morning Star. 9 June 2025

Britain: Usdaw urges delivery driver protections under new policung law
Retail union Usdaw is calling on the Government to ensure home delivery drivers are covered by the new offence of assaulting retail workers in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill. The Bill is set for debate in Parliament on 17–18 June. Usdaw’s survey of 300 grocery delivery drivers found 77 per cent had experienced abuse, 13 per cent were assaulted, and 26 per cent refused deliveries due to safety concerns. Drivers face extra risk due to legal requirements to verify customers’ ages when delivering restricted items like alcohol or knives.
USDAW news release. 9 June 2025

Britain: Making work pay is good economics
A TUC report - Making work pay is good economics - argues that decades of deregulation have left the UK with insecure, low-paid jobs, stagnant growth and one of the highest levels of pay inequality in the developed world. Poor quality work is shown to harm health, with 1.7 million workers reporting job-related conditions. Drawing on international evidence, the report concludes stronger employment protections raise productivity, reduce stress and inequality and support growth.
TUC news release. 6 June 2025

Britain: Reducing working hours is the 'best bet'
Reducing working hours is the “best bet” for workers’ health and increases productivity, according to a new study from the Institute for Employment Rights (IER). Researchers spoke to union reps at 13 factories across Britain and found evidence that the benefits of shorter working hours are clear. The study details successful union efforts to win reductions in working hours without any loss of pay, finding that reductions in working time have only been minor, despite nine in 10 workers supporting reduced shorter hours.
IER News release. 4 June 2025

Britain: College fined after student’s fingers severed by saw
Reaseheath College in Nantwich has been fined £40,000 and £6,106 in costs after 17-year-old horticulture student Aaron Maguire severed several fingers and his thumb using a mitre saw. The incident occurred in September 2023 when the wood he was cutting twisted, pulling his hand into the blade. Surgeons reattached his thumb and index finger, but his middle finger could not be saved.The Health and Safety Executive found the college had failed to properly risk assess the task, provide safe systems of work or supervise adequately.
HSE news release. 4 June 2025

Britain: Fine for flour mill after worker severs finger
ADM Milling Limited was fined £300,000 with £7,517 costs at Northampton Magistrates Court after a maintenance worker severed his little finger at the company’s Corby site on 28 June 2023. The 800-kilogram machine tipped backwards during maintenance, trapping the worker’s hand. An HSE investigation found the company failed to properly manage maintenance risks.
HSE news release. 4 June 2025

Britain: Black workers at greater risk from AI technology
Black workers in the UK may be at significantly greater risk of being subjected to surveillance and algorithmic management technologies at work, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has found. It says Black workers may be at greater risk of being surveilled than other ethnic groups, as they are more likely to be in low-autonomy (26 per cent) and low-skill (42 per cent) roles, while 73 per cent are not members of a trade union.
Negotiating the future of work: Legislating to protect workers from surveillance, by Joe Atkinson and Joseph Evans, IPPR, 30 May 2025.

Europe: Health and social care workers exposed to cancer risk factors
Researchers at the EU-backed safety agency EU-OSHA has revealed that 29.5 per cent of workers in the health and social care sector were exposed to at least one of the 24 cancer risk factors assessed in the survey during the previous working week.  
EU-OSHA news. 23 May 2025

Britain: Fine for company and director after employee falls through roof light
Norman Iveson Steel Products Limited and its director Phillip Iveson were fined after a worker fell through a fragile roof light while working on a sheep barn extension in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. Jack Croft, suffered life-changing injuries including multiple fractures and a collapsed lung. The company was fined £100,000 with £6,101 costs, and the director fined £1,822 with £2,358 costs at York Magistrates Court.
HSE news release. 22 May 2025

Britain: Company fined after worker exposed to radiation
Mistras Group Limited was fined £26,000 and £11,353 costs at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court after a radiographer was overexposed to ionising radiation in December 2020. The incident happened because a radioactive source was not returned to its shielded container, and safety checks were not carried out. The company had experienced previous enforcement for similar issues.
HSE news release. 22 May 2025

Britain: Stone firm fined £60,000 after years of failing to control dangerous dust
Inova Stone Ltd has been fined £60,000 and £7,363 in costs at Staines Magistrates’ Court after HSE found repeated and serious failings at its Slough premises, including uncontrolled exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Inspectors visited the company nine times in six years and were told by employees that “no-one is in charge of health and safety.” A May 2021 visit revealed a workshop floor covered in hazardous dust, unsafe storage of stone slabs, and unguarded machinery. The firm had previously received improvement notices in both 2017 and 2021. .
HSE news release. 22 May 2025

Britain: Two shrewsbury firms fined after worker falls through roof
Roofrite (Shropshire) Limited and Harding and Houlston Building Contractors Limited have been fined after a worker suffered spinal and rib fractures falling through an unguarded roof opening during house extension work in December 2022. Roofrite was fined £8,000 and Harding and Houlston £500, with both firms ordered to pay £2,990 in co sts.
HSE news release. 19 May 2025

Britain: Wood supplier fined £40,000 after failing to dust exposure
Fakenham based Nat Pal Limited has been fined £40,000 with £4,072 in costs at Norwich Magistrates’ Court after the HSE found wood dust scattered across its workshop floor during an inspection in April 2023. The company had previously been subject to enforcement for similar failings dating back to 2015. Despite this, it had still not implemented effective control measures or properly protected employees from hazardous exposure.
HSE news release. 19 May 2025

Britain: Worker loses part of finger due to unsafe machine guarding
St Helens firm Film & Foil Solutions Ltd has been fined £20,000 with £2,932 in costs at Sefton Magistrates’ Court after an employee lost part of his finger in machinery at its Haydock Industrial Estate site on 4 December 2023. The man'sright index finger became entangled in a poorly guarded rotating shaft. It was later partially amputated.
HSE news release. 15 May 2025

Britain: British Airways fined over £3 million after workers injured in falls
British Airways has been fined £3.2 million and £20,935 in costs at Southwark Crown Court after two employees were seriously injured in separate falls at Heathrow Terminal 5. One fell 1.5 metres from a televator in August 2022, suffering spinal injuries; the other fell three metres in March 2023, fracturing his jaw. The HSE found known safety risks with platform gaps had not been properly addressed. The company was fined and ordered to pay .
HSE news release. 15 May 2025

Britain: Farming company fined after young worker's leg crushed
LP Ollier & Son was fined £20,000, £5,110.80 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge after a 20-year-old employee's leg was pulled into a potato harvester on a Cheshire farm on 18 October 2023. The machine was not isolated and its guard gates were open while the worker investigated a blockage, leading to serious injuries including fractures and nerve damage. The worker has been unable to return to farming work.
HSE news release. 14 May 2025

Britain: Car dealer fined after exposing workers to risks from vibrating tools
Rowes Garage Ltd was fined £204,000 and £8,099 costs after two workers at its Truro bodyshop were diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) in November 2022. The company failed to assess or control workers’ exposure to vibrating tools and did not provide adequate training or take action despite reported symptoms.
HSE news release. 8 May 2025

Britain: Construction boss avoids jail after worker dies
James Pitsillides, director of Affordable Lifestyle Design Limited, received a 20-week suspended prison sentence and 200 hours unpaid work after Stephen Pywell, 59, fell nearly eight feet from roof beams at a Thurmaston site in March 2019. Pywell died weeks later from his injuries. The company failed to provide edge protection or fall prevention measures during roof work. Pitsillides was also ordered to pay £10,000 costs for breaching health and safety duties.
HSE news release. 7 May 2025

Britain: Firm fined more than £500,000 after shift worker fell to his death
East Riding Sacks Ltd was fined £533,000 and ordered to pay £6,066 costs after employee Mark Pinder, 51, fell approximately three metres to his death from unguarded metal rollers at their Stamford Bridge site in February 2023. The company failed to provide a safe system for isolating machinery and did not address the risk of falls from height.
HSE news release. 6 May 2025

Britain: Company fined after worker suffers serious injuries
Haulage distribution company Stan Robinson Distribution Ltd has been fined £6,000 plus £5,366.60 cost after employee Kevin Simcox, 60, suffered serious injuries to his shoulder when a wrought iron gate fell on him as he arrived for work. His motorbike helmet was crushed, but he suffered a fractured vertebrae in his neck and back.
HSE news release. 1 May 2025

USA: Work deaths missed in official statistics
A study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine has found that many fatal workplace incidents in the US are missing from official records. Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago compared hospital data with employer reports between 2017 and 2023 and discovered 160 unreported deaths and 7,578 non-fatal injuries or illnesses. They estimate that under-reporting concealed over 2,000 safety violations. The authors say the findings highlight the need for more preventive inspections by safety regulators.
Friedman LS, Forst L, Shannon B, Abasilim C, Madigan D. Employer compliance with OSHA requirements for immediate reporting of severe injuries. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, volume 18, number 3, pages 148-156, 2025.

Britain: Company and director fined after employee dies from fall through roof
Camclad Contractors Limited was fined £225,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after a 61-year-old worker fell through a fragile roof at a site in Anglesey in January 2018. The company failed to properly plan the work or ensure safe access, forcing workers onto the fragile roof. Director Dominic Lakeman-Pettit was given a suspended four-month prison sentence, 200 hours unpaid work, and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.
HSE news release. 29 April 2025

Britain: Company fined after death of man whose life was ‘unjustly cut short’
Piper Homes Construction Limited was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £5,236 costs after 33-year-old kitchen fitter Martin Dunford was crushed by falling concrete blocks at a Cotswolds site in January 2020. The company failed to provide a safe, level storage area and used unsuitable wooden pallets. Martin’s family called his death senseless and said the verdict was a step towards justice.
HSE news relase. 29 April 2025

Britain: Tiny fine for farmer following the avoidable death of worker
A Gloucestershire farmer, Toby Baxter, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £6,161.72 costs after a quad bike crash killed his employee, 22-year-old Laura Simmons. The Health and Safety Executive found the ATV was overloaded, tyres unevenly inflated, and spray tank unstable.
HSE news release. 29 April 2025

Global: Refused the right to refuse
Global union IndustriALL has warned that many workers are still denied the right to refuse dangerous work, despite this protection being guaranteed under International Labour Organisation Convention 155. The convention, binding on all 187 ILO member states, states workers must be able to refuse work posing an imminent and serious risk without facing undue consequences. IndustriALL says the right is routinely ignored in high-risk sectors such as shipbreaking and critical raw materials, where profit is often prioritised over safety.
industriALL news. 28 April 2025

Europe: Stress identified as a major workplace killer
Heart disease, suicide and depression are causing thousands of work-related deaths every year across Europe and the UK, according to a new ETUC report. The federation estimates around 10,000 deaths annually are linked to occupational stress, including 6,190 from coronary heart disease and 4,843 from work-related depression leading to suicide. The union body said psychosocial risks now outstrip workplace accidents, which killed 3,286 people in the EU in 2022, and called for an EU directive on psychosocial risks at work.
ETUC news. 28 April 2025

Britain: Window manufacturer fined after teenage worker severs fingers
Ford Windows Limited was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £4,227.50 costs after a 19-year-old worker severed parts of two fingers on a cross-cut saw at its Sheffield site. The Health and Safety Executive found the company failed to properly risk assess the saw, did not adjust the blade guard, and neglected to train employees. The injury could have been prevented by simple safety measures.
HSE news release. 28 April 2025

Britain: Exhausted hospital staff putting patients at risk, says watchdog
Fatigue among NHS staff is endangering patient safety, according to the Health Services Safety Investigations Body. Its report links exhaustion to medication errors, poor decisions, inattention and unprofessional behaviour. Examples included a misread pregnancy scan and a chemotherapy error made after a nine-hour shift with inadequate sleep. Staff also reported falling asleep while driving home. The watchdog said fatigue is misunderstood in the NHS as a wellbeing issue, not a safety risk. It called for better monitoring and system-level solutions.
BBC News. 24 April 2025

Global/Bangladesh: Legally binding Accord delivers safer workplaces
Unions have marked the 12th anniversary of the of the Rana Plaza collapse, one of the deadliest industrial disasters in history. Over 1,100 workers, most of them women, lost their lives when the building housing several garment factories collapsed on 24 April 2013. The tragedy triggered unprecedented action to improve factory safety, leading to the creation of the Bangladesh Accord, now known as the International Accord. This work was spearheaded by global unions UNI and IndustriALL and the UN workplace standards agency the International Labour Organisation (ILO), with the Accord’s costs covered by global garment brands and retailers. IndustriaLL says the legally binding agreement has brought quantifiable improvements and made garment factories safer for workers.
industriaALL. 23 April 2025

Britain: CIPD and SOM open letter: Women’s and reproductive health in the workplace
An open letter to employment minister Alison McGovern, signed by 28 organisations including CIPD and the Society of Occupational Medicine, emphasises the economic and societal importance of workplace support for women’s health. It calls for a review of such support, a campaign encouraging employers to provide flexible, understanding work environments with occupational health backing, and improved access to occupational health services throughout women’s careers.
CIPD news release. 23 April 2025

India: Government pledges suicide compensation for seafarers' families
Indian shipping authorities committed to compensating families of seafarers who die by suicide. Co-hosted by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Synergy Maritime Group and India’s Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), the Mumbai summit addressed the maritime industry’s long-ignored mental health crisis. DG Shipping pledged to include suicide under mandatory compensation for Indian-flagged vessels, offering long-awaited support for grieving families.
ITF news. 22 April 2025

France: Ministers sued over work suicides
A landmark legal case is bringing national attention to a growing crisis in France’s public hospitals, as ministers face accusations of moral harassment and manslaughter following a series of suicides linked to worsening working conditions. The legal challenge has been launched against the leadership of France’s public health service, as families and healthcare workers seek justice following a troubling series of suicides linked to working conditions in hospitals. A total of 19 plaintiffs – including grieving widows, widowers, and healthcare professionals – have filed a formal complaint with the French Court of Justice, targeting health minister Catherine Vautrin, higher education minister Élisabeth Borne, and minister delegate for Health Yannick Neuder.
France 24. 19 April 2025

Britain: Teachers declare pupil behaviour emergency
An alarming 81 per cent of teachers say pupil behaviour has become worse in the last year, according to teaching union NASUWT. More than 5,800 teachers responded to NASUWT’s latest UK-wide Behaviour in Schools survey, which found that in the last year 20 per cent of teachers surveyed have been hit or punched by pupils and 38 per cent had been shoved or barged, with 25 per cent of teachers experiencing pupil violence at least once a term. Over six in ten (62 per cent) teachers experienced stress as a result of pupil aggression.
NASUWT news release. 18 April 2025

South Korea: Cancer dominates chip worker compensation claims
A study of workers’ compensation payouts to workers in Korea’s semiconductor sector from 2013 to 2022 found over half of payouts were for occupational cancers. The authors found “cancer was predominant in semiconductor (51.5 per cent) and display (38.5 per cent) industries, with leukaemia being the most common compensated cancer.”
Koh DH, Kim HR, Ryou H, Park DU. Characteristics of workers' compensation claims in South Korea's electronics industry with a focus on occupational cancers in the semiconductor and display sectors (2013-2022), Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 18 April 2025

Global: The human cost of ship recycling - IndustriALL
Through international solidarity, persistent union organising and targeted occupational health and safety (OHS) training, workers in India are reshaping the notorious deadly shipbreaking sector from the ground up, IndustriALL has said. The global union says with the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) entering into force on 26 June 2025, that transformation is facing its greatest test and greatest opportunity.
IndustriALL. 17 April 2025

Australia: Toxic culture at Ballarat hospital contributed to suicide 
The Victorian Coroners Court in Australia has found a toxic workplace culture at a hospital contributed to a hospital accountant taking her own life. Karla Lee Jordan was working at the Ballarat Base Hospital when she died by suicide on 29 August 2019. A coronial investigation found the 50-year-old mother of two was subjected to long-term workplace stress to management and cultural issues within the hospital. Her employer Grampians Health told the inquest it accepted the workplace culture was "suboptimal, if not toxic.”
ABC news. 15 April 2025

Britain: Prospect tackles sexual harassment with pilot training programme
A survey by the union Prospect has found 40 per cent of women across the sector have personally experienced sexual harassment at work, with many fearing negative impacts on their career if they were to report the harassment. In response the union has rolled out a pilot training programme to reps in a small number of branches across the energy sector, including to National Grid Electricity Distribution and in Sellafield. Prospect says the purpose of the training, which is to be extended to other workplaces, is to support branch committees in driving towards inclusive cultures that are safe for everyone.
Prospect news release. 14 April 2025

Britain: Most school support staff work excessive hours - NEU
Nearly threequarters (72 per cent) of support staff workers reported working in excess of their contracted hours. An NEU poll, which surveyed 3,000 support staff members, found that only one in seven were paid for the extra hours, and 75 per cent said their workload had increased in the past year.
NEU news release. 14 April 2025

Britain: Stress taking ‘immense toll’ on teachers
Stress is taking an “immense toll” on the lives of teachers, with only a tiny fraction of those working in English schools unaffected by the high levels of strain that plagues their colleagues. The findings from research by teaching union NEU reveal that one-in-three state school teachers in England are stressed at work for at least four-fifths of the time, while only 1.5 per cent said they are never overstretched.
The Guardian. 14 April 2025

Britain: Cambridgeshire County Council fined £6 million over fatal busway failings
Cambridgeshire County Council has been fined £6 million with £292,460.90 in costs after safety failings on its Guided Busway led to three deaths and serious injuries. A decade of inadequate risk assessment and failure to implement basic safety measures such as lighting, signage and speed controls contributed to fatal incidents involving pedestrians and cyclists. Despite enforcement from the HSE, the council delayed action, appealing notices instead.
HSE news release. 16 April 2025

USA: Poultry workers fear injury as Trump administration raises line speeds
The USDA will allow faster processing in US poultry and pork plants while halting mandatory worker safety reporting, prompting alarm from workers and campaigners. The move makes permanent a rise in processing speeds from 140 to 175 birds per minute. Unions warn this will worsen already high rates of injury among the largely migrant workforce. The USDA dismissed safety concerns, despite internal research showing most workers already face serious musculoskeletal risks.
The Guardian. 15 April 2025

Australia: Court raises fine for ‘completely preventable’ workplace death
Australian company Universal Stone and Marble, fined Aus$1.3 million in 2024 after pleading guilty to a charge of negligent conduct leading to the death of work 25-year-old Michael Tsahrelias has had its fine increased to Aus$3 million after the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, stating that the fine was “manifestly inadequate”.
insuranceNEWS.com.au 14 April 2025

Britain: Social housing provider fined £140,000 after workers develop HAVS
Stonewater Limited has been fined £140,000 with £3,742 in costs at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court after two estate assistants developed Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) from prolonged use of vibrating tools between 2018 and 2023. One worker used this equipment for up to 90 per cent of his day.
HSE news release. 14 April 2025

Britain: Prospect tackles sexual harassment with pilot training programme
A survey by the union Prospect has found 40 per cent of women across the sector have personally experienced sexual harassment at work, with many fearing negative impacts on their career if they were to report the harassment. In response the union has rolled out a pilot training programme to reps in a small number of branches across the energy sector, including to National Grid Electricity Distribution and in Sellafield. Prospect says the purpose of the training, which is to be extended to other workplaces, is to support branch committees in driving towards inclusive cultures that are safe for everyone.
Prospect news release. 14 April 2025

Britain: Bakery fined £12,000 after worker loses part of finger
Truffles Bakers and Confectioners Ltd has been fined £12,000 and £3,045.65 in costs after an employee lost part of his left index finger while clearing stuck dough from a running machine. HSE found the guard was too short to prevent access.
HSE new release. 14 April 2025

Britain: Former nurse died of asbestos exposure at hospital
A retired nurse died from lung cancer after being exposed to asbestos in the hospital where she worked. Jean Elizabeth McCluskey, 77, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February 2020, and died five years later in February 2025. In a statement written before her death, Ms McCluskey described how asbestos dust would regularly be in the atmosphere at the former War Memorial Hospital in Wrexham, where she worked from 1963 until its closure in 1986.
BBC news online. 14 April 2025

Britain: Black workers at greater risk from exploitative contracts 
Black workers are more than 50 per cent more likely to be employed on exploitative zero hours contracts than white workers, a TUC analysis has found. The union body added early four in 10 BME (black and minority ethnic) workers are also at risk of unfair dismissal, due to having been with their employer for less than two years. Black workers are also overrepresented in four of the five occupations with the highest number of workers on zero-hours contracts.
Morning Star. 11 April 2025

Britain: Prospect seeks clarity over government review into public bodies
Prospect union has written to Cabinet Office Minister Georgia Gould seeking clarity on the government’s review of arm’s length bodies (ALBs), which employ many of its members across public services, defence, heritage, and energy. General Secretary Mike Clancy asked whether the review will be cross-government or organisation-specific, and if it is linked to administration budget cuts. He also sought job security assurances and stressed the need for trade union engagement throughout the process.
Prospect news. 11 April 2025

Britain: Female defence workers say sexual harassment not addressed
Female defence workers feel little has been done to address sexual harassment more than a year after whistleblowers sounded the alarm about serious problems at the Ministry of Defence, Prospect has warned. The union’s survey of female members working in defence showed a falling level of confidence in action to deter sexual harassment, from 47 per cent in January 2024 to 39 per cent in February 2025.
The Guardian. 9 April 2025

Britain: Engineering firm fined £100,000 after worker crushed by metal frame
Oldham engineering Ltd has been fined £100,000 with £4,519.90 in costs at Manchester Magistrates’ Court after a welder was crushed under a 1.63 tonne metal frame, suffering serious injuries to his arms, legs and feet. The man was welding inside the structure when it shifted and collapsed.
HSE news release. 8 April 2025

Europe: EPSU warns Europe’s health system running on empty
On World Health Day, the European Federation of Public Service Unions warned that chronic understaffing and excessive overtime are leaving Europe unprepared for future crises. A new EPSU briefing revealed one in three health workers regularly work during their free time, with low pay, poor planning and weak enforcement pushing staff to breaking point. EPSU marked the day with protests, an exhibition, and a European Parliament debate, demanding better pay, safe staffing and decent working time.
EPSU. 7 April 2025

Global: RMT demands urgent reform after shore leave revelation
Maritime union RMT has called for urgent reform of seafarers’ working conditions after a report revealed a shocking lack of access to shore leave across the shipping industry with over a quarter getting no shore leave at all. The research, published by the World Maritime University and the ITF Seafarers Trust, surveyed 6,000 seafarers working on bulk carriers, car carriers, container ships, passenger ferries, offshore vessels and cruise ships.
IER news. 4 April 2025

Cambodia: Workers and employers help shape new safety law
Workers’ and employers’ representatives in Cambodia are actively contributing to the drafting of a new occupational safety and health law, supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Capacity-building workshops held in early 2025 involved 34 OSH focal persons from 28 organisations and focused on international legal frameworks and identifying gaps in national legislation.
ILO News. 4 April 2025

Britain: Defence firm fined £800,000 after man shot and paralysed
Defence contractor QinetiQ Limited has been fined £800,000 and £8,365 in costs at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court when an employee was shot and paralysed during a live-fire test at a South Wales MoD range. The 42-year-old was hit by a bullet while positioned in front of the target.
HSE news release. 3 April 2025

Britain: Council fined £200,000 after worker injured installing Christmas tree
Bury Metropolitan Borough Council has been fined £200,000 and £5,392.80 in costs after a 32-year-old employee was injured when a 20-foot Christmas tree toppled during installation at Bury Market. The man, in a scissor lift adjusting the tree, suffered concussion and serious leg and rib injuries requiring surgery
HSE news release. 2 April 2025

Britain: Technology shouldn’t be the boss of you. #iwmd25
Hazards magazine warns that the UK’s rush to exploit AI, algorithmic management and automation could be dangerous for workers, with work intensification, psychosocial problems and management by algorithm making work more unsafe and more unfair. A special report for International Workers’ Memorial Day, 28 April 2025.
Code red: AI and digitalisation – technology shouldn’t be the boss of you, Hazards magazine report, April 2025.

Britain: Builder sentenced after labourer suffers brain injury in roof fall
A self-employed builder has been handed a 12-month Community Order and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work after a labourer fell over 13 feet through a barn roof on his first day. Jacob Thomas suffered a brain haemorrhage and multiple fractures. James Dargan-Cole had failed to plan or prevent the work at height, and the roof also contained asbestos. He was also ordered to pay £2,500 in costs following an HSE investigation.
HSE news release. 1 April 2025

Global: BWI launches “Building Collapse Watch” for safer structures
The Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) launched the ‘Building Collapse Watch’, a global initiative addressing the alarming rise in preventable building collapses. BWI, the global union for the sector, says these disasters have claimed countless lives and destabilised communities and are rooted in systemic negligence, corruption, and weak safety enforcement, BWI said that its initiative seeks to empower trade unions, workers, and advocates to demand ethical practices and rigorous oversight in the construction industry, prioritising public safety over profits.
BWI news release. 31 March 2025

Britain: Teacher unfairly dismised for long Covid is compensated
Ms J White, an ex-English teacher at Dorothy Stringer School in Brighton, was awarded £42,118.50 after an employment tribunal ruled she was unfairly dismissed and discriminated against due to long Covid. She had previously been awarded £11,912.28 for pension loss. Despite documented health struggles, the school failed to explore proper adjustments and dismissed her in 2022 after extensive sick leave.
The Argus. 28 March 2025

Britain: Contractor sentenced over unsafe residential asbestos removal
A self-employed roofer has been sentenced after asbestos-containing materials were recklessly spread during garage roof work in Altrincham. Stephen Wilks failed to use control measures while removing asbestos cement sheets, contaminating residents’ gardens and possessions. Debris was dumped in domestic bins and bags were left ripped open in public areas. Wilks was given a 12-month Community Order with 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £3,582.13 in costs.
HSE news release. 27 March 2025

Britain: Usdaw calls for legal protections for delivery drivers
Retail trade union Usdaw has called for supermarket delivery drivers to receive the same legal protections as shop workers under the Crime and Policing Bill. The union argues that age verification checks for alcohol, tobacco, and other restricted products often lead to threats and abuse.
Usdaw news. 27 March 2025

Scotland: Berwickshire firm fined after worker’s roof fall
Thorburn Group Ltd has been fined £120,000 after employee John Davidson suffered serious injuries falling 13 feet through a fragile roof light at Kelloe Mains near Duns in July 2021. He sustained significant nerve damage in his legs and has been unable to work since.
BBC news online. 27 March 2025

Britain: Gillian Leng named new chair of IIAC
Professor Gillian Leng CBE has been appointed chair of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC), succeeding Dr Lesley Rushton. Leng, a former CEO of NICE and current president of the Royal Society of Medicine, will serve a five-year term from 1 April 2025.
gov.uk. 25 March 2025

Britain: Poor job quality costs UK economy up to £41bn annually
A new report by ReWage warns poor job conditions, including insecurity, low pay, and long hours, are costing the UK up to £41 billion a year, with 1.77 million workers suffering job-related ill health. The study urges Labour to avoid welfare cuts that will push people into low-quality jobs and has called for a law that would mandate proactive workplace health assessments.
Morning Star. 25 March 2025

Britain: RMT warns bus workers’ safety and wellbeing at risk
A new RMT survey has revealed severe concerns for bus workers, with low pay, long hours, and rising violence. Nearly half report excessive hours, 70 per cent suffer from musculoskeletal pain, and two-thirds have faced abuse. RMT is demanding reforms, including higher wages, limits on shift lengths, and stronger legal protections. General Secretary Eddie Dempsey is calling for tougher laws, mandatory CCTV, and better, safer working conditions.
RMT news. 25 March 2025

Britain: Fines for unsafe excavation that left worker with serious injuries
A 30-year-old man suffered multiple fractures after an unsupported excavation collapsed on him during barn conversion work in West Sussex. JHE Construction and sent workers into a three metre trench without support structures or battered walls. The company was fined £16,000 plus £2,612 in costs, and its director Jordan Hay-Ellis £2,000 with £1,000 costs.
HSE news release. 24 March 2025

Britain: Bird flu in sheep - first-ever case raises concerns over virus spread
The H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected in a sheep in Yorkshire, the first recorded case in the species. While the risk to livestock and the public is said to be low, scientists are closely monitoring the virus due to its ability to infect mammals, including cows and humans.
The Guardian. 24 March 2025

Wales: NASUWT warns against rising violence against staff
A new report has found teachers in Wales are facing increasing physical assaults from pupils resulting in more staff absence. Violent incidents in schools rose from 4,714 in 2022-23 to 6,446 in 2023-24, more than doubling over three years. The NASUWT criticised government inaction, warning against the normalisation of violence in schools.
The Morning Star. 24 March 2025

Britain: £600m investment to train 60,000 construction workers
The government is investing £600m to train 60,000 skilled construction workers. This includes £100m for 10 new Technical Excellence Colleges, £165m for more construction courses, and £100m to expand Skills Bootcamps.
Construction Enquirer. 22 March 2025

Britain: Worker’s fatal fall results in fines for employer and manager
Surface Technik and its operations manager Robert Hammond have been fined after Maciej Rozanski, 42, fell over 20 feet to his death when working at a site in Dudley in 2018. The company, now in liquidation, was fined £90,000, with an additional £28,956 in costs. Manager Robert Hammond was fined £8,500 with the same amount in costs.
HSE news release. 21 March 2025

Britain: Pesticide use to be cut 10 per cent by 2030.
The UK government has set a target to reduce pesticide use on arable farms by 10 per cent by 2030 to protect pollinators. Campaigners welcomed the move but criticised the exclusion of urban areas. A new pesticide load indicator will monitor progress, and farmers will be encouraged to adopt non-chemical pest management. The plan includes penalties for irresponsible pesticide use and acknowledges toxicity levels.
The Guardian. 21 March 2025

Britain: Hazards conference 2025 is now taking bookings
You can now book your place at the Hazards conference 2025. The Conference has always been one of the biggest conferences for trade union safety reps and activists. It consists of a mixture of plenary sessions, meetings, and a comprehensive workshop programme. The theme for this year is 'Deregulation, AI and climate change – the critical role of safety reps into the future.'
Further details. Booking for in- person or online attandance. 21 March 2025

Saudi Arabia: First migrant worker dies on Saudi World Cup stadium site
Muhammad Arshad, a Pakistani foreman, fell to his death while working on the Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar, marking the first reported migrant worker fatality linked to the 2034 World Cup. His employer, Besix Group, confirmed the incident, stating he was not secured to an anchor point when a platform tilted. Workers were allegedly ordered to delete footage of the accident.
The Guardian. 21 March 2025

Britain: Care worker visa scheme led to ‘horrific’ abuse, watchdog warns
A post-Brexit visa scheme designed to address staffing shortages in social care has been heavily criticised by the UK’s anti-slavery commissioner for enabling exploitation of migrant workers. Eleanor Lyons called the scheme a “blunt instrument” that allowed vulnerable workers to be mistreated, pointing to cases of modern slavery, debt bondage and unethical overseas recruitment practices.
The Guardian. 17 March 2025

Britain: Strike by infectious disease team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ escalates
Unite members in the Rapid Response Team (RRT) at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals are escalating strike action from 17-28 March after the NHS trust failed to improve inadequate welfare facilities. Workers, responsible for infection control, endure long shifts without proper showers, changing areas, rest spaces, or toilets.
Unite news release. 17 March 2025

Britain: Unions call for stronger protections in employment rights bill
Unions have welcomed the UK government's employment rights bill but argue it must go further to prevent companies from treating workers like “disposable labour.” Marking the anniversary of the P&O Ferries scandal, where over 780 workers were fired without notice and replaced by low-cost agency staff the TUC, Nautilus and RMT have called for further powers to hold 'rogue employers' to account.
The Guardian. 17 March 2025

Britain: Chancellor announces another new plan to cut red tape
The Chancellor has announced a "radical action plan" to reduce business regulation costs by a quarter, streamline legal duties, and cut bureaucracy. Measures include simplifying environmental rules for major infrastructure projects, fast-tracking new medicines, easing mortgage lending, and expanding drone deliveries. The accompanying poolicy paper reports HSE has agreed to review RIDDOR, consulting on modernising injury reporting and improving compliance. Also DEFRA and HSE are tasked with streamlining chemical product approvals while UK REACH fees are said to be cut by £40m over six years. There is no mention of enforcement.
Government news release. New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth. 17 March 2025

Britain: Every McDonald's warned over staff sexual abuse
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has warned all 1,400 McDonald's branches in Britain that they could face legal action if they fail to protect staff from sexual harassment. This follows a BBC investigation revealing ongoing abuse, despite previous promises of reform. The EHRC, which signed a 2023 agreement with McDonald's to address the issue, is now pressing individual franchise owners to comply with the Equality Act.
BBC news online. 14 March 2025

Britain: Hydraulics company fined after employee's leg is amputated
Pearson Hydraulics Ltd has been fined £96,333, plus £10,701 in costs, after engineer David Lawrence suffered life-changing injuries while working on a laser cutting machine in Plymouth. On 26 July 2023, the machine’s cutting bed dropped, trapping both his legs. His right leg was amputated above the knee, and his left may also require amputation.
HSE news release. 13 March 2025

Britain: Harassment and abuse levels still too high in NHS, says UNISON
UNISON has condemned the high levels of harassment, bullying, sexually motivated incidents and abuse reported in the latest NHS staff survey. The public sector union wanrs staff must be protected from attacks and unwanted advances.UNISON’s Helga Pile stressed that improving pay and working conditions is essential to retaining staff and tackling burnout.
Unison news. 13 March 2025

Britain: Apologises for failing to protect employees
The BBC has apologised unreservedly to four former female employees, admitting it failed to protect them from a campaign of abuse by ex-Radio Leeds presenter Alex Belfield, who was jailed in 2022 for stalking four people, including Jeremy Vine. While cleared of stalking these particular employees, a judge ruled they were victims of his personal vendetta, leaving them needing psychological support. The BBC acknowledged it did not take warnings seriously enough.
The Guardian. 12 March 2025

Mexico: FIFA blocks global union labour inspections in Mexico
FIFA has blocked global union labour inspections at Mexico's World Cup sites, raising concerns about worker exploitation ahead of the 2026 tournament. The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) was denied access to inspect conditions at the Azteca Stadium, despite prior negotiations. FIFA allowed similar inspections at previous events.
BWI news. 12 March 2025

Britain: Morrisons signs TUC's 'Dying to work' charter
Usdaw has welcomed Morrisons’ decision to sign the TUC’s ‘Dying to Work’ charter, which protects the employment rights of terminally ill workers. The campaign, launched after a worker lost her job due to a terminal cancer diagnosis, seeks to ensure employees cannot be dismissed for their condition.
Usdaw news. 12 March 2025

Nigeria: Eight killed in tanker explosion on Benin-Auchi highway
Eight people lost their lives in a tanker explosion on Sunday night along the Agbede axis of the Benin-Auchi Federal Highway in Edo State. The accident occurred when a fuel tanker descending Ewu Hill suffered brake failure and crashed into other vehicles, igniting a fire.
The Independent. 11 March 2025

Kenya: Nationwide asbestos removal from public and private buildings
18 years since Kenya banned the use of asbestos it remains prevalent in buildings. On 11 March 2025 the Kenyan Cabinet approved the removal of asbestos from all public and private buildings. The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) will oversee the safe disposal, with property owners covering costs under the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle.
Citizen digital.11 March 2025

Global: IUF issues MPOX warning to hospitality workers
Global union IUF has issued a warning to its affiliates in the hospitality sector about the risks from Mpox. The move came in response to the UN’s World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that Mpox remains “a public health emergency of international concern”.   IUF’s safety guide for hotel workers says they can be exposed through contact with contaminated towels or bedding.
IUF news release. 10 March 2025

Britain: More support for sick workers could save UK £1bn, report finds
A Commission for Healthier Working Lives report argues more support for people with health conditions to stay in work could save the UK £1.1bn over five years. The commission - that includes trade unions - says a proactive approach to support would boost economic growth, reduce the benefits bill, and improve public health. The report argues for a new "back to work offer," vocational rehabilitation and an overhaul of sick pay. A different Trades Union Congress (TUC) analysis found a 33 per cent increase in lost workdays to work-related ill health since 2010 now totalling 34 million days and at a weekly £400 million weekly cost to the UK economy.
The Guardian. 10 March 2025

USA: Unions push for penalties after worker's heat death
Maryland OSHA cited Baltimore’s Department of Public Works for a sanitation worker’s heat-related death but issued no financial penalty. The agency found DPW failed to protect workers from excessive heat, but Maryland law does not allow fines for public sector violations. Unions, including AFSCME and SEIU, back new legislation to introduce penalties for these breaches.
Confined Space. 10 March 2025

Britain: Search for missing crew member in North Sea collision called off
The search for a missing crew member after a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship off the East Yorkshire coast has ended. Authorities confirmed one person remains unaccounted for, with all others rescued. The collision caused explosions and fires, raising concerns over potential fuel and chemical pollution.. The maritime accident investigation is under way.
The Guardian. RMT comment. 10 March 2025

Britain: Usdaw welcomes measures to tackle retail crime ahead of key debate
Retail trade union Usdaw has voiced its support for the Government’s Crime and Policing Bill, which is set for its second reading in the House of Commons on 10 March 2025. The bill aims to combat a significant rise in shoplifting across England and Wales, with official figures showing incidents have nearly doubled since the pandemic and increased by 23 per cent last year. A recent Usdaw survey of 9,481 retail staff revealed that 77 per cent had experienced verbal abuse, 53 per cent had been threatened, and 10 per cent had been assaulted over the past year, with theft and armed robbery triggering 66 per cent of these incidents.
USDAW news. 7 March 2025

Britain: Study reveals ‘profoundly dangerous’ suicide rates among musicians
Musicians in England and the US face some of the world’s highest suicide rates, with factors such as intense touring, performance anxiety, and financial insecurity contributing to the crisis, a new study has found. The research, co-authored by Dr George Musgrave of Goldsmiths, University of London, revealed that musicians in England have the fourth highest suicide rate of any occupation, while in the US, male musicians had nearly ten times the national average rate in recent years.
The Guardian. 7 March 2025

Britain: Scaffolding firm fined for safety failings after worker’s death
A.I.M Access Solutions Ltd has been fined £30,800 and £5,040.75 in costs for failing to assemble safe scaffolding at a site in Merseyside, following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Inspectors found workers were climbing the scaffold rungs directly instead of using a proper ladder, and assembly instructions had not been followed. The investigation was prompted by the death of 45-year-old employee Robert Duffy, although the prosecution was not directly resposible for his death.
HSE news release. 7 March 2025

USA: Tesla fined nearly $50K after a worker is killed
Tesla's Austin Gigafactory has been fined nearly $50,000 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety violations following the electrocution of Victor Gomez Sr., a 46-year-old contract worker in summer, 2024. OSHA issued three 'serious' citations, each about $16,000, for failing to protect workers from electrical hazards. OSHA revealed Tesla did not provide proper protective equipment or adequate safeguards against live circuits. Congressman Greg Casar criticised Tesla, suggesting that CEO Elon Musk's influence should not shield the company from accountability.
CBS Austin. 7 March 2025

Britain: Women ‘bearing the brunt’ of exploitative zero-hours contracts
Women are disproportionately affected by exploitative zero-hours contracts, hindering progress towards gender equality, according to TUC research. Women are 34 per cent more likely than men to be on such contracts, with black, minority ethnic, and disabled women particularly impacted. They also dominate eight of the 10 occupations with the most zero-hours workers and often remain on these contracts for over a year.
Morning Star. 6 March 2025

Britain: Labour MP submits 18 amendments to the Employment Rights Bill
Andy McDonald MP has submitted 18 amendments to the Employment Rights Bill, aiming to strengthen protections against fire and rehire practices, expand collective bargaining and crack down on gig economy exploitation. The amendments seek to clarify gig workers' employment status and empower trade unions to seek legal injunctions against mass layoffs. While unions broadly welcomed government amendments targeting zero-hours contracts and umbrella companies, Unite criticised the lack of an outright ban on fire and rehire. The Institute of Employment Rights praised McDonald's proposals as necessary to close loopholes and enhance protections for workers.
Morning Star. 6 March 2025

Japan: Explosion at Aichi auto parts factory kills one, injures two
An explosion at Chuo Spring's Fujioka plant in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, killed one person and injured two others on Thursday morning. The blast occurred in a dust collector. One employee was killed and two injured. The plant, which makes car springs, also had an explosion in 2023 in a different building.
Japan Times. 6 March 2025

Britain: Unite member wins tribunal over NHS employer's mistreatment
Mr F Villani, a Unite union rep at Bridlington Hospital, won an employment tribunal against York Teaching Hospital Facilities Management LLP for being targeted due to his trade union activities. Senior managers sought to undermine him, referring to him as a “wasp” that needed “swatting” in internal emails. The tribunal found management's actions were part of a broader hostility towards his union role, leading to a £10,000 compensation award for distress.
Unite news. 6 March 2025

Croatia: Nautilus backs seafarers' union over ferry crew victimisation
The Nautilus Federation is supporting the Seafarers' Union of Croatia (SUC) after Croatian authorities charged the master, first officer, and bosun of the ferry Lastovo with criminal offences following a fatal accident in August 2024. The ferry’s bow ramp collapsed, killing three seafarers and injuring another. Investigations blamed deficient safety procedures managed by Jadrolinija Rijeka, the ferry's operator, yet no charges were brought against the company’s leadership. The SUC condemned the charges as politically motivated scapegoating, a stance backed by the Nautilus Federation, which called for fair treatment of seafarers worldwide.
Nautilus news. 5 March 2025

Britain: Son investigates father's asbestos-related death
Tony Paines, a former dock worker from Penarth, died of mesothelioma in June 2024, likely due to asbestos exposure decades earlier. His son, also named Tony, has enlisted Irwin Mitchell solicitors to trace his father's former colleagues for information about working conditions at British Steel Corporation and British Transport Docks Board between 1968 and 1986. Tony senior described working in dusty, asbestos-laden environments, which he believed contributed to his illness. The family is urging anyone with information to contact Alexandra Lausen at Irwin Mitchell on 0117 926 1554 or email alexandra.lausen@irwinmitchell.com
Penarth Times. 5 March 2025

Britain: Bradford builder sentenced after fatal scaffolding fall
Self-employed builder Sarabjit Singh received a six-month suspended prison sentence and 100 hours of unpaid work after asylum seeker Eraj Rahanpour fell to his death during rendering work in Bradford.
HSE news release. 5 March 2025

Britain: Parents to get bereavement leave for miscarriages before 24 weeks
The UK government is set to extend two weeks of bereavement leave to parents who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks’ gestation. The change will be introduced through an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, expected to pass this summer. Currently, bereavement leave is only available for stillbirths after 24 weeks or the death of a child.
Morning Star. 4 March 2025

Britain: Employment rights bill to create 'a modern economy' benefiting workers
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak has praised the amendments to the Employment Rights Bill, saying they will improve pay, security, and respect for millions of workers. The reforms include banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, protecting workers from unfair dismissal from day one, and tackling “fire and rehire” practices. Nowak also welcomed the inclusion of agency workers in the zero-hours ban, calling it essential for ensuring fair treatment.
TUC news release. 4 March 2025

USA: Female firefighter cancer coverage becomes uncertain under Trump
The future of cancer coverage for female federal firefighters is uncertain after the Trump administration deleted information about newly added protections from a Labor Department webpage. Just weeks earlier, the Biden administration had expanded workers’ compensation to cover breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancers linked to firefighting, addressing a longstanding gap in coverage.
Firehouse. 4 March 2025

Britain: Zero-hours contract ban to include agency workers
The UK government is set to include agency workers in its ban on "exploitative" zero-hours contracts as part of amendments to the employment rights bill. Employers will be required to offer agency workers contracts guaranteeing a minimum number of hours weekly, with compensation for short-notice shift changes. 
The Guardian. 4 March 2025

Wales: Most Welsh headteachers abused by parents in past year
Over 80 per cent of school leaders in Wales have faced abuse from parents in the past year, with one in eight experiencing physical violence, according to an NAHT survey. Nearly a third reported monthly abuse, and 14 per cent say it occurrs weekly. Verbal abuse was most common, followed by threats, online abuse and discriminatory language. NAHT Cymru condemned the trend as unacceptable and called for stronger protections urging local authorities to tighten complaints procedures and tackle abusive behaviour towards school staff.
Morning Star. 4 March 2025

Britain: Survey reveals 90% of nurses and widwives face work violence
A Unison and Nursing Times survey of over 1,000 nursing and midwifery staff found 93 per cent have experienced physical violence at work. Incidents include being punched, bitten, spat at and stabbed, primarily by patients. Mental health issues (61 per cent) and cognitive impairment (53 per cent) were cited as contributing factors, alongside staff shortages and inappropriate treatment settings. 60 per cent considered quitting. Unison is urging employers to take stronger action to protect staff from this "shocking level of abuse."
Morning Star. 4 March 2025

Global: 122 Journalists killed in 2024, IFJ report reveals
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported 122 media professionals, including 14 women, were killed in 2024. Palestine was the deadliest region for journalists for the second consecutive year, with most deaths linked to the war in Gaza and conflicts in Lebanon and Syria. The Middle East saw 77 fatalities, while Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Americas, and Europe recorded 22, 10, 9, and 4 deaths, respectively. IFJ urged the UN to adopt its 'International Convention on the Safety and Independence of Journalists' to combat impunity for these killings.
IFJ news release. 2024 killed list. 3 March 2025

Britain: Increase in number of over-50s on zero-hours contracts
More than 300,000 workers aged over 50 are now on zero-hours contracts, up from 190,000 a decade ago, according to research by campaign group Rest Less. Older workers now represent a quarter of those on such contracts.
Morning Star. 3 March 2025

Britain: 80 per cent sick pay from day one for low-paid workers
Over a million low-paid UK workers will soon get 80 per cent of their weekly salary as sick pay from the first day of illness. Currently, those earning less than £123 a week receive nothing. The change, part of the Employment Rights Bill, aims to boost living standards. Unions welcomed the move but called for higher sick pay rates. A proposed “right to switch off” measure has been dropped.
BBC news online. 3 March 2025

Britain: One in three NHS doctors too tired to treat patients safely
A survey by the Medical Defence Union (MDU) found that 35 per cent of NHS doctors are so tired that their ability to treat patients is impaired. A further 34 per cent reported that fatigue may have affected their performance, with 26 per cent acknowledging that patient harm or near misses had occurred as a result. The study highlights worsening exhaustion among doctors compared to 2022, with 22 per cent now reporting daily sleep deprivation—up from 9 per cent three years ago. Increased workloads, staff shortages, and pandemic-related backlogs are cited as key factors.
The Guardian. 3 March 2025

Britain: Construction firm fined after safety Inspection
Greenlife Property Developments Ltd, based in South Wales, was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £5,812.57 in costs after an HSE inspection in September 2023 revealed unsafe excavation practices at a site in Cwmbach, Aberdare. Inspectors found workers in a 2.5-metre-deep trench with unsupported vertical sides, no risk assessment, and inadequate site security. Despite receiving a Prohibition Notice and two Improvement Notices, the company continued work and failed to implement a safe system.
HSE news release. 3 March 2025

Global: Workload linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes
There is an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes due to high physical workload during pregnancy, a major Danish study has found. Employment in occupations with high physical workload was associated with increased risk of all miscarriage, preterm birth and small for gestational age births, in a dose-dependent manner. The authors conclude an overall reduction in the occupational workload of pregnant women might prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Sejbaek CS, Nørtoft Frankel H, Flachs EM and others. Physical workload during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes: results from a Danish nationwide occupational register-based pregnancy cohort (DOC*X-Generation), Occupational and Environmental Medicine volume 82, pages 53-60, 2025. February 2025

Britain: TV producer dies by suicide amid severe migraines and work stress
John Balson, a 40-year-old freelance TV producer for Netflix and Channel 4, took his own life on 17 May last year. An inquest heard he had struggled with severe migraines, insomnia, and work-related stressIn a letter, he criticised the TV industry’s demanding conditions. His family blamed both the healthcare system and the industry for failing him.
Daily Mail. 28 Febrary 2025

Britain: Union delivers for injured worker
A 64 year old Unite member who suffered multiple fractures to his right leg and ankle after slipping on a worn driveway surface is raising awareness of the legal and rehabilitation support available to injured workers. David Lovelidge's injuries required two major surgeries and he later developed a frozen shoulder from prolonged crutch use. David’s union-backed legal team, led by Michelle Blakemore of Thompsons Solicitors, brought a claim against the owners of the block of flats. The defendant’s insurer, Zurich, admitted liability during legal proceedings.
Thompsons news release. 28 February 2025

Britain: Stonemason quits job to 'save his life'
Ryan Fenton, 48, left his job at L&C Transformations Ltd to “save his life” - after being diagnosed with silicosis, linked to inhaling silica dust from cutting engineered stone worktops. He remembers the work was “very dusty” and that the extraction systems which should have removed the dust, were “ineffective” leaving him coated regularly in dust. Diagnosed at the Royal Brompton Hospital in 2022, he was advised to stop working with engineered stone to slow the disease.
Leigh Day news release. 28 February 2025

Britain: UK workers put in £31 billion of unpaid overtime in 2024
UK workers contributed £31 billion in unpaid overtime last year, with 3.8 million people working an average of 7.2 unpaid hours weekly, equivalent to £8,000 annually per worker. Teachers and health care managers were most affected, with 38 per cent and 35 per cent respectively working unpaid overtime. On, 28 February, ‘Work Your Proper Hours Day’, workers were encouraged to take breaks and finish on time, while employers were told to set reasonable workloads.
TUC news release. 28 February 2025

Britain: Bectu demands action on lack of rest breaks
Bectu is urging the industry to address ‘broken turnaround’—crew being called back to work with less than 11 hours of rest—after research showed its severe impact on health, safety, and work-life balance. A survey of nearly 500 crew members revealed widespread fatigue, mental health struggles, and accidents, including car crashes from exhaustion.
Bectu news. 27 February 2025

Britain: Women forced out of work for ‘daring to procreate'
A study by Pregnant Then Screwed and Women In Data estimates up to 74,000 women lose their jobs annually in the UK due to pregnancy or maternity leave, a 37 per cent increase since 2016. The research, based on a survey of over 35,800 parents, found that 12 per cent of women were dismissed, made redundant, or forced out of their jobs while pregnant or within a year of returning from maternity leave. Nearly half reported negative workplace experiences, including bullying, harassment, or demotion. Despite widespread discrimination, only 2 per cent of women pursue tribunal claims.
Morning Star. 27 Feburary 2025

Britain: Network Rail fined £3.41m over Surbiton track worker death
Network Rail has been fined £3.41m and ordered to pay £43,096.39 in costs after the death of track worker Tyler Robert Byrne, 30, who was struck by a train on 9 February 2021. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) found Network Rail failed to provide adequate protection or warning systems. The company had been served Improvement Notices in 2019 but was slow to act.
ORR news. 27 February 2025

Britain: Bullied nurse receives £41,000 payout
Susan Hamilton, a diabetes specialist nurse, was awarded £41,000 for unfair constructive dismissal after an employment tribunal found that she was bullied by a colleague at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.
BBC news release. 27 February 2025

Britain: Fire Brigades Union responds to Grenfell Inquiry action plan
The UK government has published its response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s 58 recommendations, accepting the findings and outlining plans to improve building safety. Key measures include creating a single construction regulator, investigating companies for potential debarment, and enhancing transparency. Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Steve Wright welcomed the move but emphasised the need to reverse deregulation and prioritise public ownership of building safety organisations.
FBU news release. Government response. 26 February 2025

Britain: Welder crushed at Sunderland shipyard
David Vinsome, 37, suffered severe injuries when he was crushed between an excavator bucket and a fabrication table at Pallion Shipyard on 18 October 2022. HSE found Midland Steel Traders Ltd failed to plan the lift safely. The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £4,916 in costs.
HSE news release. 25 February 2025

Britain: Unions protest against EU’s Omnibus drive towards deregulation"
Trade unions and environmental campaigners protested in Brussels against the European Commission’s Omnibus package, which they argue will weaken workers’ rights and environmental protections. The protest highlighted concerns over the deregulation of key directives, including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). These laws ensure companies address human rights, environmental risks, and sustainability reporting. Critics accuse the Commission of prioritising corporate interests over public welfare, violating its own Better Regulation rules.
ETUC news. 25 February 2025

Britain: Crime and policing bill aims to curb retail crime surge, says Usdaw
The Government's Crime and Policing Bill has been welcomed by retail trade union Usdaw as a response to a surge in shoplifting, which has nearly doubled since the pandemic. An Usdaw survey of retail staff revealed theft and armed robbery were key triggers for violence and abuse, with over 2,000 incidents daily in 2024. The bill seeks to abolish the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters and fund more uniformed patrols.
Usdaw news release. 25 February 2025

Britain: Aberdeen funeral director wins £60,000 for unfair dismissal
Ms JC, an Aberdeen funeral director, was awarded over £60,000 in compensation after an employment tribunal found that she was unfairly dismissed by Dignity Funerals Limited. Following cancer treatment, Ms JC returned to work part-time but was unable to fulfil on-call duties due to fatigue. Despite an occupational health report outlining challenges, the company dismissed her within a year without making reasonable adjustments.
HR Director. 22 February 2025

Britain: Mum pays tribute to worker who took his own life after robbery
Oliver White, 27, was found dead at his Surrey home a day after being tied up during a £1.3 million jewellery heist at the store where he worked in Richmond on 25 May 2024. His mother, Amy Keane, described him as warm-hearted and a role model for his siblings, highlighting his aspirations to build a future for himself. She expressed relief that the conviction of Manix Pedro for conspiracy to rob cleared any suspicion around Oliver's involvement. The case serves as a stark reminder of the lasting trauma such crimes can inflict on victims.
My London. 22 February 2025

Britain: Study reveals stark inequality in UK cancer death rates
New research from Cancer Research UK shows that cancer death rates are 60 per cent higher in the UK’s most deprived areas, with over 28,000 extra deaths each year linked to poverty. People in the poorest regions are significantly more likely to be diagnosed in A&E and face longer waits for treatment, with many also less likely to access cutting-edge therapies. Lung cancer alone accounts for nearly half of these additional deaths.
The Independent. 21 February 2025

Britain: Jaysley Beck inquest sparks wave of abuse testimonies in UK military
The inquest into the death of 19-year-old Gunner Jaysley Beck has prompted a flood of testimonies about widespread abuse and harassment in the UK military. Beck took her own life in 2021 after being sexually assaulted and harassed, with the inquest concluding that the Army's failure to act significantly contributed to her death. Despite new measures, victims say a culture of cover-ups and a lack of accountability persist.
The Guardian. 21 February 2025.

Britain: Infectious diseases cleaning team strike at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals
Dozens of infection control workers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals will strike for five days from 24 February, protesting against inadequate rest facilities and poor working conditions. The rapid response team, responsible for cleaning the most infectious areas of the hospital, claims they lack proper rest areas, face unsafe chemical usage without consultation, and are undermined by the use of temporary staff. Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, condemned the hospital’s management for treating these essential workers with “disdain,” warning that the strike could disrupt hospital operations and heighten outbreak risks.
Unite news release. 21 February 2025

France: PFAS restriction bill is approved
France has approved a bill to restrict PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” which accumulate in the environment and human bodies. ClientEarth’s Hélène Duguy praised France’s action but highlighted shortcomings, such as limited bans on consumer products and no restrictions on industrial uses. The law, effective from 2026, prohibits PFAS in cosmetics, clothing textiles (except protective wear), and ski waxes, with an extension to all textiles by 2030. ClientEarth has urged the EU and other nations to implement broader restrictions, citing overwhelming scientific evidence of PFAS harms.
Client Earth. 20 February 2025

Britain: Soldier's sister says army 'not safe' for women
The sister of 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life in 2021 after being sexually assaulted by a senior sergeant, has criticised the British Army for failing to protect women. A coroner ruled that the Army's inaction over the assault and ongoing harassment by her line manager significantly contributed to Beck's death. The Army has apologised and claims to have made changes, but Beck's sister, Emilli, called for an independent body to handle serious cases, arguing that the Army's culture must change to prevent similar tragedies.
BBC news online. 20 February 2025

Britain: Army mishandled sex assault before death – coroner
The British Army's mishandling of Gunner Jaysley Beck's sexual assault complaint contributed to her death, a coroner ruled. Beck, 19, was found hanged in her barracks on 15 December 2021 after filing a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, who had sexually assaulted her at a work social event. Despite reporting the incident, the Army dismissed the case as minor and failed to investigate it properly. Beck had also been subjected to harassment from her line manager, Bombardier Ryan Mason, who sent thousands of messages and made inappropriate advances. The coroner concluded that Beck died by suicide, partly due to the Army's failures to protect her.
BBC news online. 20 February 2025

Britain: RMT launches Apprentice Charter
The RMT union has launched its Apprentice Charter to improve pay, conditions, and training for transport apprentices in the UK, as 50,000 rail workers are set to retire in the next five years. The Charter demands fair pay above the National Living Wage, permanent jobs after training, in-house training, and a national apprenticeship strategy funded by the government.
RMT news. 20 February 2025

Britain: Carers' mental health has worsened, finds major study
A survey by Carers UK has revealed that carers' mental health has significantly declined, with more than half feeling frequently or always overwhelmed. The survey, involving over 12,000 carers across Britain, found that nearly 60 per cent of respondents felt overwhelmed, while over a third reported having bad or very bad mental health, a rise from 27 per cent the previous year. The primary concern for carers was the lack of opportunities to take breaks, leading to burnout and poor mental health.
Morning Star. 20 February 2025

Indonesia: Jakarta court rejects asbestos industry lawsuit
The Central Jakarta District Court has dismissed FICMA’s lawsuit against LPKSM Yasa Nata Budi, a consumer protection group advocating asbestos hazard labelling. Judge Marper Pandiangan ruled that the case was beyond the District Court’s jurisdiction, as it challenged a prior Supreme Court decision mandating asbestos product warnings.
Yasa Nata Budi Institute for Consumer Protection (LPKSM) coordinator Leo Yoga Pranata stated the victory ensures the public can access products with clear, complete, and understandable information—essential for assessing health risks independently. "This is clearly a public victory over the profits made by the asbestos industry,” he said. 
Apheda news. 19 February 2025

Japan: Three workers die in suspected gas poisoning near hot spring
Three resort workers in Japan have died in a suspected case of hydrogen sulphide poisoning near the Takayu Onsen hot spring in Fukushima. The victims, all hotel employees, had been conducting routine maintenance at the hot spring’s source when they failed to return. Their bodies were found in deep snow near a mountain trail, with authorities suspecting they inhaled high concentrations of the toxic gas, which is a byproduct of volcanic hot springs.
The Guardian. 19 February 2025

Britain: Wood company fined over £1 million after two serious injuries
West Fraser (Europe) Ltd, formerly known as Norbord, has been fined a total of £1,068,000 following two separate incidents at its Cowie plant in 2020. In January 2020, utility operator Sean Gallagher suffered severe leg injuries after becoming entangled in machinery. In July 2020, scaffolder David McMillan sustained multiple fractures when he fell over 13 feet due to a faulty rooftop gantry. The company pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches related to both incidents. For the first incident, they were fined £28,000, and for the second, £1,040,000.The same company had been fined more than £2 million in 2022 after another employee died after suffering serious burns at the same plant.
HSE news release. 17 February 2025

Britain: Network Rail fined nearly £4m over deaths of two workers hit by train
Network Rail has been fined £3.75 million after being found responsible for the deaths of Gareth Delbridge and Michael Lewis, who were struck by a train while working at Margam, near Port Talbot, in July 2019. Swansea Crown Court heard that safety failures, including inadequate lookout measures and flawed safety policies known since 2017, contributed to the tragedy. The judge criticised Network Rail's reliance on outdated and insufficient protection methods and its failure to learn from previous incidents.
BBC news online. 16 February 2025

Mali: At least 48 killed in Mali goldmine collapse
At least 48 people have died following the collapse of an illegally operated goldmine in western Mali. The incident occurred at an abandoned site previously run by a Chinese company. Some victims fell into water, including a woman with a baby on her back. In January, a separate landslide at a goldmine in southern Mali killed at least 10 people.
The Guardian. 16 February 2025

Global: 70 per cent of 2024 journalist deaths linked to Israel
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that 2024 was the deadliest year for journalists in over three decades, with 124 killed across 18 countries. Nearly 70 per cent of these deaths (85 journalists) were killed by Israeli forces, 55 of those Palestinian.
Minute Mirror. 13 February 2025

Britain: Roofer given suspended sentence after scaffold fall
Self-employed roofer, Daniel Hooper, received a 16-week suspended prison sentence after Iain Smith, 36, fell over 25 feet while working for him. Mr Smith was manually carrying roof slates down a ladder when he fell, suffering multiple fractures. He was placed in an induced coma and has since made a significant recovery, but he continues to suffer from the injuries.
HSE news release. 6 February 2025

Britain: New HSE guidance on safe use of gas and air in hospitals
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued new guidance to protect midwives from excessive nitrous oxide exposure in maternity wards. The gas, commonly used for pain relief during childbirth, can pose health risks, including neurological issues and anaemia, if not properly controlled.
HSE news release. 6 February 2025

Britain: Widespread use of algorithmic management raises concerns
A survey by the OECD of over 6,000 firms in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the United States reveals that algorithmic management tools are already widely used to automate tasks traditionally handled by human managers. While many managers report improved decision-making and job satisfaction, concerns have been raised about unclear accountability, opaque decision-making processes, and insufficient safeguards for workers' well-being.
OECD. 6 February 2025

Britain: Farm fined £80,000 after worker killed by exploding tyre
Lancashire farm partnership W Hesketh and Sons was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £8,605 in costs after 23-year-old Joshua Hardman suffered fatal head injuries when a tractor tyre exploded at a dairy farm in Hutton on 7 May 2021. An HSE investigation found the farm failed to assess risks and implement safety measures. The tyre, wheel rim, and inner tube were in poor condition, increasing the risk of explosion.
HSE news release. 4 February 2025

Britain: £100,000 fine for failures at waste and recycling company
Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Ltd was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £10,077 in costs after HSE inspectors found serious safety failings at Llandrindod Wells Household Waste and Recycling Centre, Powys. An inspection on 6 October 2022 revealed unrestricted access to waste compactor controls and dangerous parts, posing dangers to workers and the public.
HSE news release. 28 January 2025

Britain: Multiple safety breach director avoids jail time
Jamie White, director of M White (Skips) Ltd in Sheffield, has received an eight-month suspended prison sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work and £13,280 costs for multiple health and safety breaches. His company was fined £65,000 with £13,280 in costs. Inspectors found hazardous conditions, including stacked skips blocking access and waste obstructing movement. Despite prohibition notices, White failed to make improvements and did not have compulsory employers' liability insurance.
HSE news release. 23 January 2025

Britain: Ipswich firm fined after workers injured by falling stone slabs
Bespoke Stone Ltd has been fined £6,600 and £4,875.40 in costs after two workers were struck by falling quartz stone slabs, leaving one with severe injuries including multiple fractures. An HSE investigation found the slabs were not properly secured, and the company failed to report the incident accurately under RIDDOR.
HSE news release. 23 January 2025

Philippines: Climate change deepens platform workers' vulnerability
The platform economy in the Philippines is expanding fast, but extreme weather is compounding its already precarious working conditions. Researchers have found climate hazards such as typhoons and heatwaves worsen the risks and financial insecurity faced by ride-hailing and delivery workers. With no occupational safety protections, these workers endure flooding, heatstroke, and hazardous air - all while lacking insurance or sick pay.
Fairwork. 17 January 2025

Britain: Blackburn furniture firm fined for repeated wood dust exposure
Pendle Woodcraft (Blackburn) Ltd has been fined £6,000 with £2,926.55 in costs after repeatedly failing to control wood dust exposure at its Darwen site, despite multiple HSE interventions over eight years. HSE inspectors found excessive wood dust during visits in 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023 and served multiple Improvement Notices. Wood dust poses serious health risks including asthma, dermatitis, nasal cancer and is a fire hazard.
HSE news release. 15 January 2025

Britain: Kent timber firm fined after worker loses three fingers
Pemberton Timber Frame Ltd has been fined £12,000 plus £4,034 in costs after employee, David Broadway, lost three fingers while using a panel saw at the company’s Ramsgate site . Mr Broadway, 36, was cutting timber when his right hand made contact with the saw blade, instantly amputating three fingers and injuring a fourth. An HSE investigation found he was assigned a task unsuitable for the machine, poorly trained and the saw’s safety features were missing.
HSE news release. 15 January 2025

Britain: Company fined after worker's crushed by 800kg pallet
Amber Precast Ltd has been fined £60,000, plus £5,406.31 in costs after an unsecured 800kg steel pallet fell on worker Wayne Hatton, leaving him permanently disabled. The incident occurred on 14 January 2021 at the company’s Sheffield factory. Hatton, then 46, suffered severe injuries, leading to the loss of his right lower leg and two toes on the left. The pallet, which was being removed from a reinforced concrete cast, had not been secured to the lifting chains of an overhead crane.
HSE news release. 10 January 2025

Britain: Waste firm accused of profiting from fatal accident
A bin lorry firm, Terberg, criticised after an employees tragic and avoidable death, faces allegations of profiting from the incident. David Carpenter, 60, died in January 2023 when his coat became entangled in a bin lift. Following the coroner's court ruling that the accident was foreseeable, Terberg introduced free safety updates for thousands of vehicles across the UK. However, councils are being charged tens of thousands of pounds to replace non-Terberg parts before accessing the upgrades. The required replacements are said to be identical to third-party components.
Thompsons solicitors news release. David Carpenter: Prevention of future deaths report. BBC News Online. 8 January 2025

Britain: McDonald’s faces lawsuit over harassment claims
Over 700 McDonald’s workers have joined a lawsuit alleging harassment, racism, and abuse at over 450 UK restaurants, following a 2023 BBC exposé. Incidents include managers soliciting sex for shifts, with 89 per cent of workers on zero-hours contracts. Despite a 2023 agreement to tackle harassment, over 300 new complaints have been reported. McDonald’s UK CEO Alistair Macrow said 29 staff were fired and 47 disciplined but claimed measures are improving safety. Leigh Day invites affected workers under 20 to join the legal action.
Morning Star. 7 January 2025

Britain: HSE issues new stone worktop installation guide
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published new guidance for stone worktop installers, highlighting essential steps to prevent exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS).
HSE news release. Silica in Stoneworking – Work Right to keep Britain safe. 7 January 2025

Britain: Company fined for repeatedly failing to protect workers from silica
Warmsworth Stone Limited and its director, Simon Jonathan Frith, have been fined a total of nearly £20,000 after repeatedly failing to protect workers from exposure to respirable crystalline silica.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspected the company's Thurnscoe site multiple times from May 2023, issuing seven improvement notices for failures, including exposure to stone dust, legionella control, and inadequate welfare facilities. By September 2023, five notices remained unresolved. The company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations, receiving an £18,000 fine plus £4,064 in costs. Frith was fined £1,062 with £3,782 in costs.
HSE news release. 6 January 2025

Britain: company fined after barn roof fall
Dodwell Farm Limited has been fined £133,000, £8,816 in costs and a £2,000 surcharge after a 37-year-old man fell 10 metres through barn roof in Southampton, suffering severe injuries.
HSE news release. 3 January 2025

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