Metalworking Fluids, Head Injuries in Sport and the New HSE Stress Management Tool
HSE inspection findings · Rugby CTE court case · Free workplace stress tool
The HSE continues to press hard on several fronts — from manufacturing compliance to workplace mental health. This article covers three significant developments: ongoing inspections targeting metalworking fluids, the landmark rugby head injury court case, and a new free tool to help employers manage work-related stress.
Metalworking Fluids: HSE Inspections Continue
If your business uses metalworking fluids — sometimes called ‘white water’ — in machining processes, this is a priority compliance area. The HSE has found that failing to complete regular fluid quality checks is one of the most common reasons manufacturers fail inspections, particularly smaller businesses.
HSE statistics show 12,000 people in the UK die each year from occupational lung diseases linked to hazardous substances at work, with 19,000 new cases of breathing problems annually. The manufacturing sector has a substantially higher rate of occupational asthma than average.
📋 What Employers Using Metalworking Fluids Must Do
- Carry out a suitable COSHH risk assessment covering fluid use and exposure.
- Implement a fluid management system — concentration checks, pH testing, microbiological monitoring.
- Maintain records of all checks and corrective actions.
- Provide health surveillance for exposed workers, including lung function testing.
- Control exposure through engineering measures such as enclosures and local exhaust ventilation (LEV).
Rugby Union Heads to the High Court
More than 300 former professional rugby union players are suing the Rugby Football Union, World Rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union over the devastating long-term effects of repetitive head injuries. Among the claimants is former England World Cup winner Steve Thompson, diagnosed with early-onset dementia and probable CTE — who has stated publicly he has no memory of winning the 2003 World Cup.
The case alleges a systematic failure by rugby’s governing bodies to protect players — not just from concussions, but from sub-concussive impacts that can occur more than 60 times in a single game.
The wider relevance for employers: the duty to protect workers extends to gradual, cumulative health conditions — not just acute injuries. Any sector where workers face repeated physical impacts or vibration should consider the long-term occupational health implications carefully.
New HSE Stress Management Tool — Free for Employers
Work-related stress is the leading cause of long-term sickness absence in the UK. The HSE’s Working Minds campaign has launched a free interactive online tool to help employers understand their legal duties and begin managing stress formally — including incorporating it into workplace risk assessments.
Many employers are unaware they have a legal duty to assess and manage work-related stress, just as they do for physical hazards. The HSE’s Management Standards cover six key risk areas: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. The tool makes it straightforward to start this process.
✅ Key Actions for Employers
- If you use metalworking fluids, review your COSHH assessment, fluid management records and health surveillance arrangements now.
- Ensure risk assessments address all forms of occupational exposure, including those with long-latency health effects.
- Use the HSE’s free stress management tool to assess and address work-related stress.
- Include stress formally in your risk assessment process alongside physical hazards.
Need support with COSHH assessments, health surveillance or stress risk assessments? Contact Ryder Partnership →