2026 Health and Safety Updates: Q1 Compliance Priorities for UK Employers

As we are settling into 2026 many employers assume there will be a wave of new health and safety laws for them to deal with. In reality, Q1 2026 is less about new rules and more about getting the basics correct.

For UK employers, especially SME’s, this first quarter is for reviewing, refreshing and closing any gaps in there already existing health and safety arrangements.

The key Health and Safety requirements should be prioritising this first quarter of 2026 are:

1.Preventing Work-Related Ill Health

Work-related ill health remains the HSE’s single biggest concern, accounting for significantly more lost working days than workplace injuries.

In Q1 2026, organisations should prioritise:

• Managing stress, mental health and psychosocial risks, not just physical hazards
• Controlling long-term health risks such as musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory exposure, noise and vibration
• Ensuring ill-health risks are properly assessed, controlled and reviewed, with clear evidence of action

Tip: If stress is affecting absence, morale or performance, it is a health and safety issue, not just an HR matter.

 2.Risk-Based Compliance and Targeted Inspections

The HSE continues to take a risk-based approach to inspections, focusing on activities and sectors with the greatest potential for harm.

Priority areas include:

• Occupational hygiene risks (dusts, fumes, asbestos, legionella)
• Manual handling and ergonomic risks
• Work at height and workplace transport
• Violence, aggression and lone working risks

Risk assessments alone are not enough, employers must be able to demonstrate that controls are implemented, understood and followed.

Tip: Inspectors will look at what happens on the floor, not just what’s written on paper.

 3.Effective Safety Management Systems

The HSE is placing greater emphasis on whether health and safety systems actually work, rather than how well they are written.

Organisations should ensure that:

• Policies and procedures are practical and relevant
• Staff understand their roles and responsibilities
• Training and competence can be clearly demonstrated
• Monitoring and review processes are active, not reactive

In Q1, many inspections focus on day-to-day implementation, rather than documentation alone.

Tip: If your system only works during an inspection, it doesn’t work.

4.Leadership and Safety Culture

Strong leadership remains central to effective health and safety performance.

The HSE increasingly expects:

• Visible senior leadership involvement in health and safety
• Clear accountability at board and senior management level
• Health and safety performance discussed at leadership meetings

A positive safety culture is not just encouraged, it is actively assessed during inspections and investigations.

Tip: Leaders don’t need to know every regulation, but they do need to show ownership.

5.Data, Reporting and Learning

Data is playing a growing role in how the HSE targets inspections and evaluates risk.

Q1 priorities should include:

• Accurate incident, near-miss and hazard reporting
• RIDDOR compliance and timely submissions
• Reviewing trends and using data to prevent repeat incidents

Organisations that can demonstrate learning from incidents are far better placed during regulatory scrutiny.

Tip: Near misses are early warning signs, ignoring them increases risk.

6.Legal and Regulatory Readiness

Q1 is the time to ensure organisations are prepared for new or evolving regulatory expectations during 2026.

This includes:

• Keeping risk assessments and policies up to date
• Understanding changes linked to building safety, fire safety and emerging health risks
• Forward planning to avoid last-minute compliance issues

Tip: Early action is easier, and cheaper than reactive compliance.

A quick checklist overview of the HSE Q1 2026 Focus:

• Prevent ill health as well as injury
• Target real risk, not just paperwork
• Demonstrate that safety systems work in practice
• Show leadership ownership and accountability
• Use data to drive continuous improvement

Final Thoughts:

Q1 2026 isn’t about doing more as an employer, it’s about doing what you already should be doing properly. A short, focused review now can prevent enforcement action, accidents and costly disruption to your business later in the year.

If you are unsure where the gaps are, we can help.

Complete our free mini-Health & Safety audit questionnaire to quickly highlight any compliance gaps and priority actions for 2026.

Free Mini H&S Audit – Craven Consultancy Services