HSE Construction Safety Update – December 2025
Enforcement & Inspection Focus
HSE is continuing its health‑led inspection push, with inspectors targeting construction sites where respiratory risks, dust, asbestos, noise and musculoskeletal disorders are not being adequately controlled.
Recent “day of action” visits in major cities have highlighted poor planning of dust controls, weak health surveillance and limited understanding of long‑term health risks, leading to enforcement notices on a range of projects.
Falls from height also remain a key theme in current prosecutions, with clients and contractors receiving fines and suspended sentences following fatal and life‑changing incidents on refurbishment and home‑improvement works.
Building Safety & Regulatory Change
The Building Safety Regulator continues to develop its role, with government confirming plans for a future “single construction regulator” and reforms to s
peed up high‑rise approvals while maintaining strict fire and structural safety standards.
New measures are being introduced to accelerate remediation of unsafe residential buildings, tighten fire assessment standards and create a national data system for all relevant buildings over 11 metres.
Developers can also expect a Building Safety Levy on most new residential schemes requiring building control approval, alongside rising expectations for demonstrable competence of principal designers and principal contractors.
Asbestos and Long‑Term Health Risks
HSE has launched a consultation on strengthening the Control of Asbestos Regulations, including proposals to improve asbestos surveys, clarify notifiable non‑licensed work and reinforce independence in clearance testing.
Construction duty holders are encouraged to review their asbestos management plans, survey quality and refurbishment planning, particularly on pre‑2000 housing stock where trades routinely disturb hidden materials.
Industry Actions for December
- Review dust, asbestos and noise controls on all live sites, ensuring RPE, LEV and health surveillance meet HSE’s current expectations for construction health risks.
- Check work at height risk assessments, edge protection, access systems and supervision, with particular attention to small works, refurb and domestic projects.
- Confirm that higher‑risk residential projects are correctly registered and that Building Safety Regulator gateways, fire safety information and competence records are up to date.
- Audit asbestos management arrangements on refurbishment and maintenance jobs, including survey quality, information to contractors and controls for notifiable and non‑licensed work.
November Prosecutions
A construction company (Skyladder Construction Ltd) was fined £33,500 plus costs after a worker died falling through an unprotected skylight opening at a domestic property; there was no edge protection or guarding around the openings.
A construction client in London received a 12‑week suspended prison sentence and was ordered to pay £10,000 in costs after HSE found multiple life‑threatening failings on a synagogue development, including serious risks of falls from height.
A construction firm was fined £15,000 plus costs after a worker fell from a partially built barn roof in Shropshire, with HSE identifying failures to properly plan and protect against falls from height.
Cold Weather Working in The Construction Industry
Working in cold weather will be a major issue for construction over the coming months, with a forecast Sudden Stratospheric Warming increasing the risk of prolonged cold spells, snow and ice across the UK. This makes it essential for clients, principal contractors and site managers to review winter arrangements now so work can continue safely without exposing workers to unacceptable health and safety risks.
Health effects of cold on workers
Cold, wet and windy conditions increase the risk of cold stress, hypothermia, frostbite and reduced manual dexterity, which can slow reactions and increase the likelihood of errors and accidents. Prolonged exposure can also aggravate respiratory and circulatory problems, so older workers and those with existing health conditions may need additional protection or task adjustments.
When the body cools, fine motor skills in the hands and fingers deteriorate, making it harder to handle tools, fixings and controls safely, while shivering and fatigue can make falls, slips and manual handling injuries more likely. Supervisors should be trained to recognise early signs of cold stress – uncontrollable shivering, confusion, clumsiness, slurred speech – and stop work or move people to warm areas before conditions become dangerous.
Legal duties and welfare expectations
There is no fixed minimum temperature for outdoor work in UK law, but employers must ensure working conditions are “reasonable” and that exposure to low temperatures and severe weather is properly assessed and controlled. CDM 2015 and workplace welfare requirements mean construction projects must provide adequate welfare facilities, including heated rest rooms, washing facilities, drinking water and somewhere to prepare hot drinks.
HSE guidance stresses that, in cold environments, employers should consider delaying particularly weather‑sensitive tasks, increasing rest breaks, providing mobile facilities for warming up, and ensuring PPE is suitable for the conditions.
Rest areas and drying rooms should be heated, ventilated and large enough for the workforce to change, dry wet clothing and take breaks without crowding, so that workers can warm up properly between periods outdoors.
Site risks during winter conditions
On construction sites, snow, ice and standing water greatly increase slips, trips and falls on scaffolds, ladders, access steps, roof surfaces, decks, temporary stairs and unfinished slabs. Frost and ice can affect the stability and performance of scaffolds, mobile towers, MEWPs and vehicles, so pre‑use checks become even more critical before work at height or plant operations start each day.
Shorter daylight hours and frequent low‑visibility conditions (fog, blowing snow, heavy showers) increase the risk of vehicle–pedestrian collisions and trips over materials or ground obstructions. Lighting levels may need to be increased for early starts and late finishes, with particular attention to access routes, loading bays, stair towers, scaffolds, site boundaries and welfare routes.
Practical site controls for cold weather
Winter risk assessments should cover weather forecasts, temperature, wind chill, ground conditions, visibility and the specific tasks planned, with clear triggers for delaying or stopping work when conditions become unsafe. Planners should build in extra time for gritting, snow clearance, vehicle checks and safe access and avoid scheduling high‑risk activities (e.g. roof work, complex lifts) during forecast storms, ice or heavy snow.
Daily controls should include gritting and clearing all pedestrian routes, steps, scaffold access, platforms, loading bays and emergency exits, and keeping these under review as conditions change during the shift. Plant and vehicles should be checked for frozen controls, obscured lights, damaged wipers and icy decks or steps, and speed limits, segregation and banksman arrangements may need tightening in poor conditions.
PPE, clothing and work organisation
HSE advises that PPE must be appropriate for cold environments, which usually means multiple layers of thermal undergarments, insulating mid‑layers and waterproof, windproof outer clothing that still allows safe movement. Gloves should provide both insulation and grip, with task‑specific options where fine work is needed, and safety footwear should have good slip resistance and insulation to reduce the risk of cold feet and falls.
Work should be organised to rotate high‑exposure tasks, limit time spent in exposed positions and build in regular warm‑up breaks in heated welfare areas with access to hot drinks and food. Briefings and toolbox talks before and during cold spells can reinforce expectations on clothing, safe walking routes, reporting icy areas and stopping work if conditions deteriorate, aligning with current winter‑working safety guidance.
Cold weather checklist – PPE for cold sites
- Thermal base layers (top and leggings) issued where workers are outdoors for prolonged periods.
- Insulated, windproof and waterproof outer jacket and trousers that still allow safe movement and use of harnesses.
- Thermal gloves appropriate to the task (dexterity vs insulation), with spares available if gloves become wet.
- Insulated, slip‑resistant safety boots with good tread; thermal socks available where ground is frozen or wet.
- Warm head protection (helmet liners, balaclavas, beanies) compatible with safety helmets and not compromising the fit.
- High‑visibility garments that remain visible in low light and poor weather (snow, fog, heavy rain).
- Clear briefings so workers know how to layer clothing, when to change wet kit and how to report cold‑related symptoms.
Cold weather checklist – Welfare and warming facilities
- Heated welfare cabin(s) large enough for the size of the workforce to sit, eat and rest out of the weather.
- Facilities for making hot drinks and heating food (kettles, microwaves, urns) available throughout the shift.
- Drying room or heated, ventilated area for wet PPE, gloves and boots, with hanging space and drip trays.
- Adequate toilets and washing facilities kept clean, lit, stocked and warm enough to use comfortably in winter.
- Separate changing area with seating and secure storage for personal clothing, plus space to change out of wet gear.
- Ready access to hot and cold drinking water, with cups or mugs provided at welfare points.
- Agreed frequency of warm‑up breaks for exposed tasks, with supervisors empowered to increase breaks in very low temperatures.
Christmas shutdown and site security
Christmas is a natural point in the year for many projects to slow down or shut completely, but an unattended site in bad weather is a major risk if it is not properly secured and left in a safe condition. A short, focused shutdown plan helps duty holders meet their legal obligations, protect the public and neighbours, and reduce the chance of theft, vandalism or collapse while the site is quiet.
Before the break, sites should review their risk assessments to cover reduced staffing, site closure dates, weather forecasts and how the site will be left over the holidays. High‑risk activities should be completed or paused in a safe state, with temporary works, excavations, scaffolds and part‑finished structures checked and signed off as stable for the shutdown period.
All access points, hoardings and fences should be inspected and repaired where necessary so that the public, especially children, cannot easily enter the site while it is unattended. Gates, cabins and containers must be locked, plant keys removed, fuel and chemicals secured, and any materials that could be climbed on or toppled (loose blocks, scaffold components, ladders) either laid flat or locked away.
Security measures should be tightened for the shutdown, for example by improving perimeter lighting, checking CCTV and alarm systems, and removing or hiding high‑value plant and tools from view. Clear signage and an external notice displaying emergency contact details, site name, and key holder information are good practice so that police, neighbours or emergency services know who to call if something happens over the break.
The 12 Days of Construction Safety
On the 1st day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Check your boots, hi‑vis and PPE.
On the 2nd day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Use three points of contact on every step and ladder.
On the 3rd day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Keep access routes clear – no trips, no clutter, no excuses.
On the 4th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Plan work at height and make sure the edge protection’s sound.
On the 5th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Take five minutes for a winter weather toolbox talk.
On the 6th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Lift with your legs, not your back – and use the right kit.
On the 7th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Switch off, isolate and lock off before you start work on tools or plant.
On the 8th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Wear RPE and control that dust – lungs don’t grow back.
On the 9th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Sign in, sign out and stick to site traffic routes.
On the 10th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Warm up, dry out and take your breaks in the welfare cabin.
On the 11th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Look out for your mates – if they’re not right, speak up.
On the 12th day of Christmas, my foreman said to me…
Get home safe for Christmas – that’s the best gift of all.
Finally, from all of us at Hurst Setter, a heartfelt thank you for your continued support and custom throughout the year. Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year, and we look forward to working with you again in 2026.
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