Firms in Hyndburn, Lancashire, have the worst record for health and safety infringements in the UK, according to new figures.
A total of 289 local authorities were put to the test in new data collated by safety solution specialist, Seton.
To find out where in the UK was most and least compliant, Seton used Health and Safety Executive (HSE) infringement notice data from 2021 and cross-referenced it against the number of businesses in each area. The full research and rankings can be viewed here.
Hynburn topped the list with 31 infringement notices served in 2021, to the 2,365 businesses registered in the area. Bolton in neighbouring Greater Manchester had the overall highest number of infringements last year, with 76 notices served with 10,565 businesses registered in the town. Statistics from The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also showed that construction had the highest fatality rate in 2021.
| Local Authority | No. of registered businesses | No. of notices | No. of businesses per infringement notice |
| Hyndburn | 2,365 | 31 | 76.3 |
| Halton | 3,615 | 34 | 106.3 |
| Tameside | 6,330 | 59 | 107.3 |
| Bolton | 10,565 | 76 | 139.0 |
| West Lancashire | 4,455 | 32 | 139.2 |
Halton, also located in North West England was the second least compliant area, with 106.3 businesses per infringement, with Tameside completing the top three (107.3).
Businesses in Northampton were most compliant with HSE guidelines, with only one notice served throughout a whole year, and 38,180 corporations in the local area.
| Local Authority | No. of registered businesses | No. of notices | No. of businesses per infringement notices |
| Harborough | 5,375 | 1 | 5375.0 |
| South Oxfordshire | 8,260 | 1 | 8260.0 |
| South Cambridgeshire | 8,365 | 1 | 8365.0 |
| Lincolnshire County Council | 28,285 | 1 | 28285.0 |
| Northampton | 38,180 | 1 | 38180.0 |
Sally Felstead, General Manager at Seton hopes that the data will serve as a reminder to businesses on why compliance is key, “Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, which is exactly why regulators such as the HSE and local authorities have numerous guidelines and legislation in place. Even so, 142 people across the country were killed at work in 2021, while 1.7 million staff suffer a work-related injury every year.
“Obviously the human element should be a key driver for keeping people safe. It’s every business owner’s duty to reduce the risk of any avoidable accidents. But there are also business consequences.
“Each notice served could lead to a fine or even a criminal conviction. Individuals affected by an accident at work due to negligence can also make a civil law claim. With so many systems and solutions out there to help businesses stay compliant, it’s easy to keep workforces safe.”
Across the UK, Surrey Heath was the second least compliant area. Although only six notices were served, there’s a high density of non-compliance with just 460 registered local organisations.
Businesses in Northampton were most compliant with HSE guidelines, with only one notice served throughout a whole year, and 38,180 corporations in the local area.
For more information and for the full research and dataset, please visit: https://www.seton.co.uk/safest-workplace-regions