Make UK has warned manufacturers that failure to address key workplace health issues could lead to substantial fines and, in extreme cases, potential shutdowns. The warning follows a shift in approach by the
Health & Safety Executive (HSE), which is now placing far greater emphasis on workplace health during routine inspections. This change is part of a new 10-year strategy aimed at reducing workplace ill-health, which has escalated sharply in recent years.
Latest HSE figures show that 1.9 million workers were suffering from work-related ill-health in 2024/25, an increase of 200,000 on the previous year. Almost all of this rise was attributed to stress, depression and anxiety, which surged from 776,000 to 964,000 cases. The impact is significant — more than 30 million working days were lost, costing the UK economy around £14 billion annually. In addition, HSE completed 246 criminal prosecutions in 2024, with fines totalling £33 million — half of which related to workplace health breaches.
The new HSE strategy identifies six priority areas: manual handling; display screen equipment; COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations); noise; mental health and stress. Inspectors are now giving health equal weight to safety, routinely asking businesses what hazards they are addressing, what controls are in place and how these processes are monitored.
Make UK points out that, unlike safety risks which are often immediate and visible, health impacts can be harder to assess and may only become apparent years later — leaving employers exposed to future prosecution. The organisation continues to support its members with expert advice, templates and advanced software solutions to help tackle these challenges. Assistance for employers is available via the
Make UK website.
Chris Newson, director of environment, health & safety at Make UK (pictured above), said: “This is a welcome move from HSE to place workplace health on the same footing as safety in terms of importance given the alarming increase in workplace health issues. Manufacturers need to be aware of this dramatic new focus on enforcement by HSE and ensure they are addressing health as part of their routine controls for safety in the workplace.
“This will come up more and more when inspections take place and companies need to ensure they have sufficient processes in place to maintain workplace health and controls to ensure these processes are working. Failure to do this will leave them at risk of potential prosecution and, in extreme circumstances, shutdowns until the issue is resolved.”