Martyn’s Law
Martyn’s Law, officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, is being rolled out in stages. It requires public venues and businesses hosting events to implement stronger security measures and emergency planning. This applies to spaces such as shopping centres, leisure facilities, and venues where large numbers of people gather.
Some of the measures required from businesses under the new legislation include:
- Carrying out a security risk assessment to understand possible threats.
- Having clear emergency plans for evacuation or staying inside safely.
- Making sure staff know what to do in an attack and receive basic security training.
- Improving how people enter and move around the site, such as bag checks or controlled access where needed.
- Using surveillance measures like CCTV to spot suspicious activity.
- Adding physical barriers or protective features if a site is at higher risk.
- Appointing someone responsible for overseeing security planning and compliance.
What this could mean for you: If your business operates a public-facing venue, you’ll need to review your risk assessments, update emergency plans, and ensure staff are trained on new security procedures.
Increased focus on mental health
Workplace mental health is now treated as a core part of health and safety. Employers are expected to identify psychosocial risks including stress, workload pressures and burnout as part of their legal duty under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWA). This means mental-health risks must be assessed, recorded (for businesses with five or more employees), and proactively managed, just like any physical hazard.
HSE has also made clear that it can take enforcement action where employers fail to manage work-related stress, particularly if there are warning signs such as repeated absences or raised concerns that were ignored5. With rising numbers of stress-related cases (nearly 964,000 workers reporting stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/256) regulators are paying closer attention to how organisations protect employee wellbeing, and the HSE have taken a recent particular focus on this in their Working Minds campaign.7
What this could mean for you: Businesses without a clear mental-health risk assessment, or those who don’t act on known issues like workload or culture, risk not just poor wellbeing outcomes but potential regulatory scrutiny and enforcement.
Building safety and asbestos reform
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR), created under the Building Safety Act 2022, continues to implement reforms to improve standards for high-risk and multi-occupancy buildings. Since October 2023, the BSR has been responsible for the safety of taller or multi-unit residential buildings, overseeing design, construction, and ongoing occupancy safety. This means landlords and building operators are held to more rigorous standards for maintenance, fire safety, structural safety, and accountability.8
At the same time, the HSE has launched new proposals to strengthen asbestos management in commercial and multi-occupancy buildings. These updates focus on improving the quality and frequency of asbestos surveys, ensuring proper clearance checks, and clarifying what constitutes hazardous work. The aim is to protect workers and building users more effectively.9
As a result, businesses now need to ensure asbestos surveys are current and thorough, with a live asbestos register and management plan in place. Older buildings and multi-unit properties are more likely to be scrutinised under these reforms, and failure to comply may lead to enforcement action from the BSR or HSE.10
What this could mean for you: If your business owns, manages, leases, or operates in older or multi-unit buildings, you should review your asbestos surveys, registers, and building safety plans. Compliance is now more important than ever, and regulators are paying closer attention to these responsibilities.
Hybrid and remote working
With more staff working remotely, employers are increasingly expected to consider risks outside the traditional office. This includes workstation ergonomics, mental health, and general safety in home or hybrid work setups.
The HSE’s guidance on managing home workers11 states that:
- All employers must carry out a proportionate risk assessment for anyone working from home on a regular basis
- Workers who routinely use screens for an hour or more qualify as DSE users who require a formal DSE assessment
- Employers must also provide training, information and suitable equipment where reasonably practicable.
What this could mean for you: Businesses should review their hybrid working arrangements, ensure DSE and wellbeing assessments are up to date and make sure employees have access to the equipment and support they need to work safely at home.