A builder has been jailed for 32 months after admitting multiple fraud offences linked to building and home improvement work across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. The case involved abandoned projects, poor workmanship and unsafe conditions, with victims left to pay for remedial works and completion by other contractors.
The government has laid regulations to increase compensation for dependants of people who die from asbestos-related and other dust diseases, bringing their payments into line with awards available to affected workers. The changes also simplify the compensation calculation framework and are expected to take effect on 31 October 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.
The HSE has issued Morris & Spottiswood with an immediate prohibition notice after it said the contractor failed to carry out suitable and sufficient asbestos surveys before intrusive works at a Northampton site. The company later stated that further intrusive checks found no asbestos present and that it had provided additional assurance to the regulator.
The article explains updated timings and practical implications of the Employment Rights Act 2025 for estate and letting agents, with the most significant change being the move to an “all reasonable steps” duty from October 2026 and renewed employer liability for third-party harassment. It also notes that whistleblowing protection for harassment disclosures is now in force, while the NDA-related restrictions have been delayed into 2027.
The Environment Agency has published new heat maps showing suspected waste crime hotspots across England, based on public reports and used to target enforcement activity. The article also outlines a wider government crackdown, including stronger powers, increased frontline enforcement, and higher fines for illegal dumping and related offences.
Green Steel & Cladding Ltd has appeared in court facing a corporate manslaughter charge following the death of a worker in April 2021, alongside related Health and Safety at Work Act offences. A company officer, Paul Gaines, is separately charged with gross negligence manslaughter and related health and safety offences, with the case now moving to Leicester Crown Court.
Ainscough Crane Hire is pursuing a £1.3m claim against Keltbray Plant over alleged damage to a 750-tonne mobile crane during lifting work on a wind turbine in Hull. The dispute centres on responsibility for rigging, supervision and planning under the CPA Crane Hire Agreement, after the crane’s hoist rope allegedly failed and the machine was out of service for 147 days.
The London Assembly has called for a mayoral plan to reduce heat-related deaths in social housing, citing concerns that an estimated 75% of the capital’s social homes are at high risk of overheating. The article highlights overheating as a significant housing safety issue in London’s social housing stock.
Lovell has paused work at its Maryon Road site in east London after a partial collapse involving nearby terraced properties on Woodland Terrace in Charlton. The incident affected multiple households, prompted evacuations and temporary accommodation, and is now under investigation with an independent structural engineer commissioned to assess the properties.
A survey of 633 construction workers reports widespread dissatisfaction with site toilet and welfare provision, with women more likely than men to restrict drinking or experience inconsistent access. The findings highlight issues around cleanliness, privacy, sanitary disposal and maintenance, alongside concerns about workforce retention.
A tribunal found that HCM Electrical Ltd discriminated against a 73-year-old self-employed contractor by withdrawing an agreed job after assessing his physical capability without informing him he was being assessed. The case centres on age discrimination and the handling of fitness-for-work assessments in a construction context.
A landlord’s £7,500 penalty for failing to remedy serious electrical safety defects within the required timeframe has been upheld by a court. The case involved multiple EICR defects, delayed remedial works, and council enforcement action following a tenant complaint about damp and mould.
