Employers must adapt risk assessments to ageing workforce, HSE warns

Addressing delegates at the HSE’s Annual General Meeting – following its own report that a third of all workplace deaths involve workers over 60 – Rick Brunt, director of engagement and policy, pushed back against calls for targeted, age-based regulatory interventions.

“Our country has an ageing workforce; people are working and living longer,” said Brunt yesterday, stating that the disproportionate fatality numbers reflect broader demographic shifts across society.

“The key point is the same as it would be for any other characteristic – young apprentices or people with a disability,” he explained. “It’s more about making sure we adapt accordingly in our risk assessment – which is the absolute principle of health and safety regulation.”

Rick Brunt fielding a question about protecting older workers. Image: HSE/Youtube

The AGM on 28 July showcased the regulator's recent achievements and strategic priorities, concluding with a live Q&A session.

Future strategy

Sarah Albon, Chief Executive, outlined upcoming priorities as part of the Protecting People and Places 2026/27 strategy. 

A major element of the HSE's ill-health prevention programme includes an enforcement initiative targeting manufacturers of engineered stone.

Sharing early results from the first phase of 1,000 site visits, Albon reported concerning findings: “We are seeing significant levels of non-compliance from our early inspections. These include material breaches in dry cutting and businesses failing to conduct appropriate health surveillance.”

Albon also reinforced the HSE’s commitment to putting mental health on equal footing with physical health: “We are proud to be one of the safest countries in the world to work,” she said, referencing the HSE’s new benchmarking against European countries. “Our aim is to be able to say the same for health by addressing both physical and psychosocial issues through focused risk management.”

Past performance

Reflecting on operational achievements over the past year, David Murray, director of finance and planning, highlighted that the HSE had:

• Conducted more than 14,900 proactive inspections - half focused on work-related health.
• Issued over 4,800 enforcement notices, including 3,690 improvement notices requiring specific safety actions.
• Issued nearly 1,200 prohibition notices, immediately halting work activities that posed an imminent risk of death or serious injury.
• Heard 265 court cases, resulting in £34.5 million in fines.
• Processed 28,500 concerns raised by members of the public.
• Completed 83% of fatal accident investigations within 12 months, meeting its target.

“Nearly 1,200 times last year, an HSE inspector identified a situation dangerous enough to halt it on the spot,” Murray stated. “That’s 1,200 moments where the alternative of doing nothing could have meant a worker not going home. That is direct, tangible harm prevention.”

HSE says last year it conducted more than 14,900 proactive inspections, half of which focused on health risks. Photograph: iStock

The Q&A session also covered other workplace topics, including guidance on supporting workers through menopause, cross-sector safety initiatives, and emerging risks associated with lithium batteries.

The event was live-streamed and can be viewed on HSE's YouTube.