News release 24 November 2025 – no embargo
“As the workplace harm increases, HSE is turning a blind eye. Inspections last year were 35 per cent lower than a decade ago, with a consistent withdrawal over the period from both its statutory oversight and enforcement duties. The consequence is that as more workers are harmed, fewer negligent employers are being exposed or brought to justice.”
Following the recent publication by the HSE on the annual statistics on work-related ill health, the UK Hazards Campaign accuses the Government and HSE of complacency on the huge toll of work-related ill health on workers. Work related stress, continues to be a major health concern for workers and little is being done to ensure employers are controlling the risks.
Even where a worker has been driven to suicide because of unacceptable bullying, excessive workloads, unrealistic targets and other draconian management practices, the HSE refuses to accept they should be reportable under RIDDOR, investigated and bad employers held to account in the courts or by enforcement action.
On 20th November the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries for 2024/2025. (1) The figures include 1.9 million workers suffering from work-related ill health during 2024/2025 which is the highest ever work-related ill-health figure.
In the annual report ‘The Whole Story’ (2) the UK Hazards Campaign states,, these statistics are a conservative estimate of the actual numbers of people harmed by work.
The HSE in 2022 produced a ten year strategy (3) where it said that its role goes beyond worker protection and public safety on a broad range of issues. The UK Hazards Campaign challenges the HSE to show how workers health and safety has improved since 2022.
At their July 2025 Annual General Meeting (4) HSE painted a much rosier picture. Their self-congratulatory reports supposedly showcased their work, but didn’t mention the lack of progress on any of the main issues facing workers health and safety.
In fact, you would have been forgiven for thinking they were doing a lot better than the statistics reveal. David Murray the Director of Finance and Planning at the HSE said they were an ‘effective proportionate regulator dedicated to protecting people and places across Britain’ achieving ‘100 per cent of their milestone commitments set out in the HSE Business Plan’.
The UK Hazards Campaign says ‘As the workplace harm increases, HSE is turning a blind eye. Inspections last year were 35 per cent lower than a decade ago, with a consistent withdrawal over the period from both its statutory oversight and enforcement duties. ‘
‘The consequence is that as more workers are harmed, fewer negligent employers are being exposed or brought to justice.’
The UK Hazards Campaign challenges the Government to set the HSE more ambitious milestones, ones that will see real improvement in the numbers of workers made ill, disabled and killed by work. The UK Hazards Campaign also demands that the HSE institute a more rigorous enforcement policy that holds dangerous and negligent employers to account.
Notes
1. https://press.hse.gov.uk/2025/11/20/hse-publishes-annual-workplace-health-and-safety-statistics/
2. https://www.hazardscampaign.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-Whole-Story-2025-FINAL.pdf
3. https://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/assets/docs/the-hse-strategy.pdf
4. https://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/attend-a-meeting.htm
For more information, press only:
Contact: Janet Newsham – Chair UK Hazards Campaign
Email: janet@gmhazards.org.uk
Tel: 07734317158
www.hazardscampaign.org.uk
The Hazards Campaign is a UK-wide network of resource centres and campaigners. The Hazards Campaign supports those organising and campaigning for justice and safety at work.
Contact details:
The Hazards Campaign
c/o Greater Manchester Hazards Centre
The Wesley Centre
Royce Rd
Manchester M15 5BP
ENGLAND
website www.hazardscampaign.org.uk
twitter @hazardscampaign