A UK infrastructure contractor has been issued two HSE prohibition notices, a useful case study in HSE prohibition notice compliance for anyone managing height and excavation work. Inspections found serious failings in working at height and excavation safety, breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, Work at Height Regulations and CDM Regulations, and specific site activities were halted until the issues were resolved.

This lands against a wider backdrop. HSE enforcement activity has fallen to a five year low, with fewer notices issued as inspector numbers decline. For contractors, that cuts both ways: risks can go unchecked longer, yet when HSE does act, scrutiny on existing records tends to be sharper.

Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities across UK industries, and excavation work carries similarly serious consequences when protective systems are missing or poorly maintained. The common thread in enforcement cases is rarely a lack of policy. It is a lack of evidence that inspections, risk assessments and corrective actions were actually carried out and recorded.

FlexManager’s Asset Inspections and Permit to Work tools give site teams a single, auditable record of height and excavation controls, while Job Risk Management and Risk Assessments keep hazard documentation current across every site and subcontractor.

So, if an HSE inspector arrived on site tomorrow, could you show a complete inspection and risk assessment history in minutes? If not, it’s worth changing that before enforcement forces the issue. Book a FlexManager demo to see how our platform keeps asset inspections and site safety records audit-ready.