HSE data reveals 97% of pesticide inspections found compliance failures
Published on 07/08/2026 at 18:41 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The Grounds Management Association (GMA) has urged its members to urgently review pesticide management protocols after new Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data showed that 97% of pesticide-related inspections in 2025 required corrective action. The findings signal widespread non-compliance across the grounds management industry, exposing employers to significant legal and safety risks.
Recurring failures in storage and record-keeping
The HSE data highlights persistent problems with chemical storage facilities and stock control measures. Inspectors regularly found incomplete spray records and failures to carry out necessary equipment checks. Registration compliance also emerged as a significant gap.
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To help address these issues, the GMA has organised a webinar on July 22, 2026, aimed at guiding grounds management professionals through the corrective steps needed to meet safety regulations and improve pesticide stewardship.
Enforcement trends and regulatory pressure
The focus on pesticide compliance comes as the HSE continues to take robust enforcement action across industrial sectors. Earlier this year, Samson Containers Ltd was fined £30,000 after exposing workers to carcinogenic welding fumes. The company had failed to provide adequate ventilation or personal protective equipment, and had ignored Enforcement Notices issued in 2024 and 2025. It was also ordered to pay costs and a surcharge for failing to monitor noise exposure.
Although some enforcement areas have seen changes — such as a drop in fire safety breaches on construction sites during 2024/25 — the HSE's focus on hazardous substance exposure remains a priority, despite a 7% reduction in agency headcount since 2021.
Global scrutiny of chemical use
The GMA's compliance push reflects a wider international trend of tighter regulation over chemical use. On June 30, 2026, the US Environmental Protection Agency approved several new herbicides, including trifludimoxazin and diflufenican. While the agency maintains these are not "forever chemicals," critics argue they meet the definition of PFAS and point to potential environmental risks, including detection of degradation products in groundwater.
As regulators worldwide tighten scrutiny on chemical use and environmental risks, your own compliance documentation becomes more important than ever. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit with 41 templates covers everything from lone working to fire safety and manual handling — helping you systematically document hazards and protect your business from enforcement action. It also includes training materials to keep your team up to speed. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
In Australia, the Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has faced criticism after completing only 71.9% of product registrations and 43.9% of major applications on time in the quarter ending March 2026. Industry groups have raised concerns about the efficiency of the registration process for new agricultural products.
Regional pest challenges are also prompting government intervention elsewhere. On July 7, 2026, the Governor of Negros Occidental in the Philippines established a Provincial Biosecurity Task Force to combat a severe infestation of the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect, which has affected more than 32% of the province's sugarcane area.
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