Statutory Review PPE Duties and “Limb (b)” Workers
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 extended employers’ PPE duties beyond employees to “limb (b)” workers, broadly, those with a more casual employment relationship who work under a contract for service, following a 2020 court ruling that the UK had under-implemented EU requirements. The Regulations require the first post-implementation review to be […]
ICO Turns To Agentic AI
According to the ICO’s published guidance plans, a public consultation on new agentic AI guidance is due to launch this month, with final guidance expected in spring 2027. This follows its consultation earlier this year on updated automated decision-making and profiling guidance, revised to reflect the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. Final ADM guidance […]
Safe on paper, unsafe in practice: when a documented system won’t protect you
Many businesses that find themselves facing enforcement action already have a risk assessment. These days that often isn’t the problem. The difficulty lies in the gap between the system on paper and what happens in practice. A case in the news this month illustrates the point. Factory Services UK Limited was fined £160,000 at Warrington […]
HEALTHCARE FOCUS: The CQC is coming: inspection volumes are rising sharply
For those in health and social care, one development deserves your particular attention. Forecast: CQC inspection activity is accelerating, fast. Under its improvement plan, the CQC has committed to publishing 9,000 assessments by the end of September 2026 and it is on track. By late 2025 it had already published over 4,300 assessments, running roughly […]
Martyn’s Law
Martyn’s Law is now sufficiently clear to prepare for. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 applies to certain publicly accessible premises and events. Although the Act is not expected to come into force until spring 2027, Home Office statutory guidance has now been published and the Security Industry Authority has set out its approach as […]
The HSE’s work-related fatality figures for 2025/26 have been released
126 workers were killed, one of the lowest totals on record outside the pandemic years, compared to 495 in 1981. Notably, workers aged 60+ accounted for 1/3 of these deaths, despite representing only 12% of the workforce. As the workforce ages, this risk requires proactive management. Construction had the most fatalities, agriculture continues to have […]
Limited Liability
Limited liability is brilliant. It’s one of the main reasons people set up companies in the first place. But there’s a dangerous assumption that it’s an absolute shield, and in 2026 that assumption is being tested more often and more publicly than many directors realise. Three things are worth flagging. First, every director should have […]
When “asbestos-free” may not mean what you think
White asbestos has been banned in the UK since 1999, yet this year it has been discovered within components of UK wind turbines, understood to have entered the supply chain via third-party Chinese suppliers. Around the same time, the Office for Product Safety and Standards, the UK Health Security Agency and the HSE issued a […]
Regulatory Watch
This update provides a summary of enforcement action, new legislation and consultations and how these may impact you or your business. Now in force: Corporate criminal liability has changed. The “senior manager” rules under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 came into force on 29 June 2026. Now, organisations can be held criminally responsible for […]
Regulating Fire Risk Assessors
The government has consulted on proposals to regulate the fire risk assessor profession and introduce mandatory certification. The consultation closed in June 2026, and the government’s response is awaited. The proposals signal greater scrutiny of how fire risk assessors demonstrate their competence. Those responsible for fire safety should already satisfy themselves that anyone appointed to […]