The Health and Safety Consultancy

23/01/2026

James Bond’ builder who threatened HSE inspectors found guilty
Search news
23rd January 2026

Unsafe work spotted by inspectors from HSE.
• Site manager refused to co-operate and made threats of violence.
• Inspectors had to return to site with police officers.
A builder who threatened inspectors from Britain’s workplace regulator and told them his name was James Bond has been fined.
David Robert Lane, 59, was the site manager of an extensive cottage refurbishment in Staffordshire when unsafe work caught the attention of two inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The pair had been carrying out routine inspections in the Rugeley area on 11 February 2025 when they saw two people on the site accessing a roof from the bucket of an excavator.
Clearly identifying the practice to be unsafe, the inspectors decided they had to stop and take action.

Inspectors took this photo of the unsafe working at height work taking place

There were around ten workers on the site and when the inspectors approached, Lane, who would later be identified as the site manager, came over to intervene. He refused to identify himself, except as James Bond, and rebuffed their attempts to inspect the site. He went on to tell the inspectors he was in fact the property owner, that the men on site were unpaid friends and relatives, and that they had no legal right to inspect. He followed that up with threats of violence, at which point the inspectors withdrew.

The two inspectors returned to the site a week later, accompanied by officers from Staffordshire Police. Site manager Lane greeted them with a shout of “It’s PC Plod!” while still refusing to identify himself. He maintained that he was the owner, told all his staff not to speak to HSE, except to confirm that they were his relatives and not at work, and told the inspectors once again that they had no right to inspect and to leave the site.

After making several enquiries, the inspectors were able to identify Lane as the site manager – this resulted in him being served with enforcement action.

Upon receiving notification that he was to be prosecuted for the offence of obstruction, under 2 counts of section 33(1)(h) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, he responded with three expletive laden emails, and said “I won’t jump through your hoops”.

HSE defines work-related violence as ‘any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work’. This can include verbal abuse or threats, including face to face, online and via telephone and physical attacks. It can include violence from members of the public, customers, clients, patients, service users and students towards a person at work.

David Robert Lane, of Talbot Street, Rugeley, Staffordshire, failed to attend Birmingham Magistrates Court on two occasions, and on the latter was found guilty after being tried in his absence on 9 January. He was fined £3,000, ordered to pay full costs of £6,450 and must pay a victim surcharge of £1,200.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Gareth Langston said: “This case highlights the difficulties we face in trying to improve the health and safety of workers across Great Britain.
“We accept that not all employers will be pleased to see us, but the vast majority are professional and accept us with good grace.

“HSE will not tolerate the obstruction of its inspectors, and may prosecute offenders in rare cases such as this, where this is necessary.”

22/01/2026

HSE has refreshed its guidance on the waste and recycling industry to make it easier to protect people and places in this sector.
Working in close consultation with the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH), we have:
• removed outdated or duplicated information
• brought guidance up to date, so it reflects changes in the industry
• reduced the size of the site substantially, so it will be easier for you to find the advice you need

To find out how it can help you protect your workers and comply with the law, visit our updated waste management and recycling website

https://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/index.htm?utm_source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=guidance-push&utm_term=waste-1&utm_content=digest-22-jan-26

16/01/2026

Latest news and prosecutions

Packaging company fined after workers exposed to harmful gas
The company was fined £200,000 after multiple workers were exposed to hydrogen sulphide gas which caused the death of a worker.

Unregistered gas fitter sentenced after carrying out illegal work
Illegal gas work was carried out on a home which left the property in an immediately dangerous condition.
Construction company fined after worker falls through unprotected floor opening
The £60,000 fine was issued after a worker fell through a floor opening without edge protection, resulting in multiple injuries.

Unregistered gas installers sentenced for carrying out illegal work
The workers carried out illegal gas work on 2 properties despite not being on the gas safe register.

12/01/2026

Updated health surveillance guidance: respirable crystalline silica (RCS)
HSE has refreshed its guidance publication 'Health surveillance for those exposed to respirable crystalline silica'.
The publication has been refreshed to emphasise:
• where workers are regularly exposed to RCS dust and there is a reasonable likelihood that silicosis may develop
• worktop manufacturing and installation are stated as high-risk occupations and provision of health surveillance must be considered
• health surveillance is a risk-based scheme of repeated health checks and is required under the COSHH Regulations for those exposed to hazardous substances to detect ill-health effects early and show whether review and revision of risk assessment and control measures are necessary

02/04/2025

April is Stress Awareness Month
5 simple steps
Complete the 5 steps over the course of April to help to prevent stress and support good mental health of your workers:
1. reach out and have conversations
2. recognize the signs and causes of stress
3. respond to any risks identified by agreeing action points
4. reflect on the actions taken – have things improved?
5. make it routine to check back in on how things are going

Take your business to the next level
Preventing work-related stress, depression and anxiety is a legal duty, it’s good for business and it’s the right thing to do.
By being proactive, you can improve productivity, reduce sickness absence and help retain valued workers.
Work-related stress and the law
No matter whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, the law requires all employers to prevent work-related stress to support good mental health in the workplace.
The need for employers to protect workers from work-related stress, depression and anxiety falls under the provision in sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act

23/09/2024

Some Health and Safety Advice on Flooding.💦☔️
* when fitting External paved areas ensure the material used will be slip resistant when wet.
*Many slip accidents happen at building entrances as people entering the building walk in rainwater. Fitting canopies of good size over building entrances and in the right position can help prevent this.
*Discourage people from taking shortcuts over grass or dirt which are likely to become slippery when wet. Consider converting existing shortcuts into proper paths.

Stay safe, The Health and Safety Consultancy team can help with any advice.

27/11/2023

Are you protecting your workers?

Did you know it is estimated that 12,000 people died from lung diseases linked to exposure to hazardous substances at work.

There were an estimated 19,000 new cases of breathing and lung problems thought to be caused or made worse by work. This includes inhalation of wood dust that can cause occupational asthma and, in the case of hardwoods, sinonasal cancer.

You can be fined THOUSANDS of pounds if you have not protected your workers.

Contact us on 01452 864213 or email mail@thehealthandsafetyconsultancy.co.uk if you need any support to ensure you workers are safe!

06/11/2023

Welcome to our business page. Thank you for the support. Jan and Vick

12/12/2020

Covid has created huge misery this year and continues to do so. Like the Christmas star that will appear on December 21st for the first time in 800 years, the vaccine offers hope. We wish all our colleagues and friends a safe holiday season and a better new year

25/02/2015

Construction (Design and Management Regulations) 2015

The new regulations will come into force now in April 2015. If you are a construction company or designer you need to bring yourself up to date - domestic clients are now included in the regulations.

27/07/2014

I've just sponsored John Isherwood. You can help them raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Trust too by donating at www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/by3peaks24 http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/by3peaks24

Neil Arnot, John Isherwood, Lee Smith, Marcus Hacker, Billy Robinson, Nathan Barnett, Terry Adams is raising money for Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Sponsor them with Virgin Money Giving.

13/03/2014

Concrete Causes Burns

A London building firm has been fined after two labourers sustained second degree chemical burns after working knee-deep in wet concrete for more than four hours. One of the workers required skin grafts to both ankles. Both were casual workers and neither received any briefing on the well-known risks of chemical burns from prolonged contact with wet concrete

These are injuries that a full and complete COSHH Assessment of concrete, safe working practices and training could easily have avoided.

The HSE investigation found that prior to the work neither worker was briefed on the risks of working with wet concrete, which is a strong alkali that can cause serious burns and ulcers and the builder had failed to provide personal protective equipment for the workers, such as boots providing cover to knee level or adequate welfare facilities at the site.

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