The 10 Most Common Failures Found in Health & Safety Inspections

Health and safety inspections help identify hazards, improve compliance and reduce the risk of workplace accidents. Many of the issues found during inspections are preventable, yet they continue to appear across a wide range of industries and working environments.

Below are 10 of the most common failures identified during health and safety inspections.

1. Missing or Incomplete Risk Assessments

One of the most common issues is missing or outdated risk assessments. Employers must identify hazards, assess risks and implement suitable control measures.

Assessments should also be reviewed regularly, particularly when processes, staffing, or working environments change.

2. Poor Fire Safety Procedures

Common fire safety failures include blocked fire exits, missing signage, outdated evacuation procedures and poorly maintained extinguishers.

Employers should ensure fire risk assessments remain current and that staff understand emergency procedures.

3. Poor Contractor Control

Contractors can create additional safety risks if activities are not managed correctly.

Inspections often identify poor communication, unclear responsibilities and inadequate supervision, all of which increase the likelihood of accidents and human error.

4. Poor Asbestos Management

Buildings containing asbestos materials must have suitable management procedures in place.

Common failures include missing asbestos registers, outdated management plans and poor communication with contractors.

Failure to manage asbestos correctly can lead to serious health risks and enforcement action from the Health and Safety Executive.

5. Legionella Records Not Maintained

Legionella management is another common issue during inspections.

Typical problems include incomplete temperature records, infrequent inspections and missing risk assessment reviews. Poor management can create serious safety risks within water systems.

6. Slips, Trips and Falls Hazards

Slips trips and falls remain one of the leading causes of workplace accidents in the UK.

Common hazards include uneven flooring, trailing cables, wet surfaces and poor lighting. Simple preventative measures can significantly reduce the risk of injury.

7. Unsafe Manual Handling Practices

Poor manual handling practices continue to contribute to musculoskeletal disorders and injuries at work.

Common issues include poor lifting techniques, lack of training and unsuitable storage arrangements.

8. Failures Around COSHH Compliance

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), employers must safely manage hazardous substances.

Inspections often identify missing COSHH assessments, poor storage practices, inadequate ventilation and missing safety data sheets.

9. Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal protective equipment should be suitable, properly maintained and provided where risks cannot be controlled by other measures.

Common issues include damaged PPE, incorrect usage and insufficient staff training.

10. Poor Health and Safety Communication

Even where procedures are in place, failures often occur because employees are not properly informed or trained.

Common problems include poor signage, unclear reporting procedures and inconsistent communication of safety updates.

Why Regular Health and Safety Inspections Matter

Regular inspections help businesses identify hazards early, improve compliance and maintain safer working environments.

At Summit Environmental, we provide professional health and safety inspections, workplace audits and risk assessments across Sussex and the South East.

Contact our team today to find out how we can support your organisation.