Part 6
Lack of supervision and guidance
When oversight is thin (i.e. unclear instructions, absent “competent persons,” or lone workers left to “figure it out”) small deviations snowball into serious harm. Investigations repeatedly cite missing supervision, poor communication, and weak enforcement as root causes, especially for new/young staff and anyone working alone.
The HSE notes that lone workers often need extra training, supervision, and monitoring because help is harder to get, and employers must set clear limits on what can be done alone.
Remember that workers are as likely to have an accident in their first six months as during the whole of the rest of their working life. What’s more, workers in their first month with a new employer face a four-times higher injury risk than those who’ve been in the same job for at least a year.
Example cases:
No lift supervisor, clashing activities
A crane struck a scissor lift, killing one contractor and seriously injuring another; inadequate coordination and the absence of a lift supervisor were key failings. The company was fined £285,000 plus costs.
Teen worker on dumper
A farmer was fined after a teenage worker overturned a six-tonne dumper and suffered serious head injuries. HSE said the young workers hadn’t been given the necessary training or supervision for the task.
Mitigation strategies:
Make supervision a control, not an afterthought: Define which tasks require a present, competent supervisor (e.g., lifting ops, hot work, work at height) and which forbid lone working (e.g., permit-required confined spaces).
Offer structured training & mentorship: Pair new/young or task-inexperienced workers with mentors; keep them under close supervision until competence is proven; refreshers to prevent drift/shortcuts.
Ensure clear communication & permits: Pre-job briefs, shift handovers, and permit-to-work with supervisor sign-off; visibly tag out removed guards/changed states; coordinate multi-contractor interfaces to avoid task conflicts.
Plan the work, staff the work: JHAs for non-routine/lone tasks; enforce buddy systems and realistic spans of control so supervisors can actually observe work and intervene in real time.
Monitor lone workers: Scheduled check-ins, man-down/impact-detect wearables, GPS/SOS to a 24/7 response centre; satellite options where coverage is poor. Remember that tech augments but never replaces human oversight.
Culture & enforcement: Set the expectation to stop work and speak up; supervisors coach and correct early; audit compliance and act on findings.
