As we roll into 20th July, that magical time of year when half the workforce is either on annual leave, thinking about annual leave, or mentally already on a beach somewhere, it’s a good moment to remind ourselves of a few summer safety basics.
Because nothing ruins a sunny day faster than a preventable accident… except maybe someone microwaving smelly food in the staff kitchen.
We spend 10 months of the year complaining we never see the sun, and the moment it appears, we act like we’ve never met it before.
With people in holiday mode, forklifts and pallet
Every summer, the fridge becomes a science experiment.
Metal tools left in the sun turn into tiny branding irons. Plastic tools left in the sun turn into modern art. Either way, store equipment properly — your hands will thank you.
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Guest Blogging
If you feel that you could contribute to this blog then please feel free to send me a proposal of your guest blogging ideas and we can discuss these further info@walkersafety.co.uk . Please note any proposals must be of benefit to my readers from individuals with knowledge of their subject matter.
The week of 13 July 2026 brings several major developments in UK workplace safety. With new regulatory changes on the horizon, rising summer risks, and continued HSE enforcement activity, employers should treat this week as a critical moment to tighten controls and refresh training.
RIDDOR
The and Safety Executive is preparing a major overhaul of RIDDOR, the UK’s workplace injury and dangerous‑occurrence reporting regulations. A public consultation closed on 30 June 2026, and the direction is clear: stricter, broader, and more prescriptive reporting rules, especially for construction.
RIDDOR changes employers must prepare for:
With the consultation now closed, HSE is expected to publish draft final rules soon. Employers should begin reviewing internal reporting systems, training supervisors, and auditing incident‑logging processes.
Summer heat remains a major risk across UK workplaces, especially construction. Rising temperatures have led to increased cases of heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, all of which can severely impair concentration and raise accident risk.
Barbour have released an employee fact sheet for working in the sun and heat Employee-Factsheet-Working-in-Sun-and-Heat.pdf
These measures are essential as July heat continues to intensify across UK construction sites.
Recent HSE enforcement updates show a disturbing pattern: falls through fragile roofs, skylights, openings, and unprotected platforms remain among the most prosecuted failures in 2026.
Analysis of 2026 HSE prosecutions shows that machinery entanglement, unsafe isolation, vehicle strikes, and hazardous exposure continue to recur across construction, manufacturing, logistics, and maintenance.
This week is an ideal time for employers to revisit guarding, isolation procedures, and vehicle‑movement controls.
This week’s safety priorities are clear:
Contact us if you would like further information.
This year’s Alcohol Awareness Week takes place from 6-12 July 2026.
Alcohol Awareness Week returns from 6–12 July 2026, offering a national moment to pause, reflect, and talk openly about our relationship with alcohol.
Across the UK, communities, workplaces, and health organisations are coming together to shine a light on how drinking affects our health, our wellbeing, and the people around us.
Whether you drink regularly, occasionally, or not at all, this week is an opportunity to understand the facts, challenge assumptions, and explore healthier habits that support a better quality of life.
Key Stats
If you have any questions, or would like additional information, please contact us.
Additional information can be found by clicking here – Alcohol Awareness Week Resources.
The UK is facing record‑breaking temperatures exceeding 38°C, prompting government alerts, workplace disruptions, and new safety guidance across multiple sectors. At the same time, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued major updates on workplace health leadership and continued enforcement around construction safety. This week’s blog brings together the most important developments employers need to act on now.
What Employers Must Prioritise This Week
🔥 Extreme Heatwave: Immediate Actions for Employers
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office have issued red weather warnings, with significant risks to health, travel disruption, and workplace operations.
With temperatures soaring, the Department for Education has confirmed that schools should generally remain open, but must take steps to keep children safe.
HSE has issued multiple enforcement actions this week following falls from height, collapsing excavation walls, and unguarded machinery incidents. Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the UK.
On 24 June, HSE launched the Principles of Workplace Health and Wellbeing Leadership, a new framework aimed at improving physical and mental health standards across major hazard industries.
A clinical waste company was fined £300,150 after an 18‑year‑old worker fractured his leg in an unguarded conveyor. HSE found no suitable risk assessment was in place.
This week’s combination of extreme heat, new national health frameworks, and ongoing enforcement actions makes it essential for employers to:
If you have any questions, or wish to have a heat stress risk assessment produced, please contact us.
Guest Blogging
If you feel that you could contribute to this blog then please feel free to send us a proposal of your guest blogging ideas and we can discuss these further info@walkersafety.co.uk . Please note any proposals must be of benefit to my readers from individuals with knowledge of their subject matter.
The UK is experiencing hotter, longer, and more frequent heatwaves — a trend that is expected to intensify over the coming years. High temperatures don’t just cause discomfort; they create real health and safety risks that employers are legally required to manage.
This blog breaks down:
Heatwaves increase the likelihood of:
These risks affect all sectors, but especially, Construction, Warehousing and logistics, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Hospitality, Transport and Office environments with poor ventilation.
Several UK laws apply to heatwave safety:
Employers must ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees so far as is reasonably practicable.
Employers must carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments, including environmental risks such as heat.
Workplaces must have a reasonable temperature. There is no legal maximum temperature, but employers must take action when conditions become unsafe.
PPE must be suitable for the conditions — including heat.
Employees must receive adequate rest breaks, which may need to be increased during extreme heat.
Employers have a duty to anticipate, assess, and control heat‑related risks. Key responsibilities include:
Review:
Employers should implement:
Provide:
Employees must be informed about:
Conditions can change rapidly. Employers should:
Employees also have duties under UK law.
Workers must comply with heat‑related controls, including:
Employees should report:
Early reporting prevents serious incidents.
Heat can affect machinery. Employees must:
During a heatwave, employers should consider:
Outdoor workers may need:
Clear communication prevents accidents. Employers should:
Workers must know:
Heatwaves are no longer rare events — they are a foreseeable hazard. That means employers must plan for them just as they would for any other workplace risk.
A proactive approach protects:
Contact us should you wish to find out more or request a risk assessment.
