When Safety Fails: Fatalities, Volunteer Workers, and the Legal Aftermath in Construction
Date: Wednesday 1 October 2025
This was an on-line event.
Topic: Health & Safety
IMPORTANT: This webinar will run on two separate dates. The content will be the same for both sessions, so please only register for one.
This webinar examines a fatal incident that occurred during a volunteer-led construction project managed by a not-for-profit organisation. Based on first-hand involvement in the subsequent legal proceedings, the session explores the events that led to the incident, the safety management shortcomings, and the regulatory and legal consequences.
The discussion will consider how well-intentioned projects can still expose organisations to significant risk when industry safety standards are not followed. It will cover the criminal investigation, court proceedings, and sentencing, as well as the inquest process and the coroner’s recommendations for preventing similar tragedies in the future.
This session offers practical learning for anyone involved in health and safety, compliance, governance of voluntary or charitable bodies, or the management of projects that involve non-employed workers.
Key Learning Points:
- Incident Overview
- How deficiencies in planning and managing construction activities can lead to serious consequences.
- Common failures in temporary works and site risk controls.
- Legal and Regulatory Responsibilities
- Understanding the duty of care owed to volunteers and non-employed workers.
- Consequences of breaches under health and safety legislation and relevant industry codes.
- Post-Incident Proceedings
- How investigations, inquests, and enforcement actions address systemic failings.
- Legal outcomes and their implications for organisational governance.
- Sector-Wide Lessons
- The importance of competent oversight, structured risk assessments, and robust safety management systems.
- Practical steps for voluntary and charitable bodies to embed safety competence into their operations.