Unregulated recreation safety
211 items
2 sources
Lack of clear guidance, inspection protocols, and regulation for recreational activities (e.g., paragliding), leading to safety hazards.
Cross-Source Insight
Unregulated recreation safety has been flagged across 2 independent accountability sources:
6 inquiry recs
205 PFD reports
This issue has been identified by multiple independent accountability bodies, suggesting it is a recurring systemic concern.
Inquiry Recommendations (6)
MAI-111 — Establish standard for event healthcare services
Recommendation: The Department of Health and Social Care should establish the standard for the level of healthcare services required at events. Consideration should be given to putting that standard on a statutory footing.
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-144 — Mandatory Ambulance Liaison Officer at events
Recommendation: The Home Office should consider how the presence of an Ambulance Liaison Officer in appropriate circumstances may be made mandatory. This may need to be put on a statutory footing.
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
In progress
MAI-147 — Employer requirement to train in first aid
Recommendation: The Home Office should consider the introduction of a requirement into law, for example through regulations issued under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, that employers train all employees, or certain categories of employees, in first responder …
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-161 — Review CCTV monitoring SIA licence requirements
Recommendation: The requirement that only those monitoring CCTV under a contract for services need to hold an SIA licence should be reviewed.
Gov response: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) published a formal statement on 17 June 2021 in response to Volume 1 of the Manchester Arena Inquiry. The SIA committed to collaborating with the private security industry, law enforcement, …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-20 — Review licensing for security contractors
Recommendation: Consideration should be given to whether contractors who carried out security services should be required to be licenced.
Gov response: The Home Secretary made a written statement to Parliament on 3 November 2022 following publication of Volume 2, acknowledging the findings on emergency response failures and stating the government would work with emergency services to …
Accepted
Delivered
MAI-9 — Enact Protect Duty into law
Recommendation: A Protect Duty, as set out above, should be enacted into law by primary legislation.
Gov response: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) published a formal statement on 17 June 2021 in response to Volume 1 of the Manchester Arena Inquiry. The SIA committed to collaborating with the private security industry, law enforcement, …
Accepted
Delivered
PFD Reports (205) — showing 100 most recent
Mohamed Abdisamad
Concerns: There is a complete absence of regulation for Non-Therapeutic Male Circumcisions, including no requirements for training, accreditation, consent, record-keeping, infection control, or crucial aftercare.
Overdue
Matilda Seccombe and Harry Purcell
Concerns: Current licensing arrangements for new drivers inadequately address risks from multiple passengers, vehicle loading, and rural road conditions. Insurers also lack consistent methods to identify 'fronting' and effectively communicate telematics-related safety.
Response: The FCA clarified its role is to regulate financial businesses and ensure fair value, not to direct road safety measures or mandate telematics use, as this falls outside its statutory …
Response: The ABI noted its role as a representative body and detailed its past advocacy for telematics integration in a government taskforce. As next steps, it commits to continuing to promote …
Response: The Department for Transport published a new Road Safety Strategy in January 2026 and the DVSA launched the 'Ready to Pass' campaign in July 2022. They also advise learner drivers …
Response: Brake campaigns for stronger licensing measures for young drivers, delivers road safety education, and coordinates Road Safety Week. They will also be releasing research on young drivers shortly and will …
Response: The CII commits to writing to Corporate Chartered insurance firms and working with industry stakeholders to stimulate greater prioritisation of young drivers, consistency in identifying named driver misuse, and improved …
Overdue
Leonardo Machado
Concerns: Insufficient oversight of 'rental' food delivery licenses to underage individuals places children in vulnerable lone working situations, increasing their risk of road traffic collisions and harm.
Response: The HSE acknowledges the issues, clarifies that road traffic accidents are primarily for Police, and highlights ongoing government-industry efforts to tighten controls on delivery permits and the upcoming Employment Rights …
Overdue
Richard Ellis
Concerns: There are no legal requirements for the servicing and maintenance of agricultural tractors, leaving safety dependent solely on owner discretion and posing a risk on public roads.
Overdue
Leonardo Machado
Concerns: A lack of oversight regarding the 'rental' of food delivery licenses to children under 18 places them in vulnerable lone-working situations, increasing their risk of road traffic collisions and harm.
Responded
Mohsin Janjua
Concerns: The unregulated online sale of substandard lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes poses a significant fire risk, with online marketplaces currently disclaiming safety responsibility. This highlights the need for stronger regulations and public awareness.
Responded
David Hayes
Concerns: Liquid washing detergent packaged deceptively like food and lacking safety features poses a severe ingestion risk, especially for vulnerable adults with dementia, due to inadequate warnings and public awareness.
Responded
David Ejimofor
Concerns: The absence of lifeguards at a dangerous breakwater during high-risk periods, despite historical effectiveness, and insufficient evidence that new deterrence measures are working, poses an ongoing risk.
Responded
Raymond Mills
Concerns: No clear system exists to determine ownership and responsibility for shipwrecks accessible to the public, resulting in a lack of essential warning signage and an inability to address safety concerns.
Responded
Susan Lakin
Concerns: High-risk medical equipment, like an armchair belt, is sold online without warnings or professional guidance, exposing vulnerable users to serious risks such as strangulation.
Responded
Joel Ineson
Concerns: Organised open water swimming events lack clear safety responsibilities, specific briefings, participant oversight, and regulatory guidance, creating significant unmanaged risks.
Responded
Alexander Eastwood
Concerns: There is a lack of guidance and regulation for children's contact sports, particularly for unofficial matches, leading to an absence of minimum standards for safeguarding, medical support, and risk management.
Responded
Philip Jones
Concerns: Denture adhesive gel poses an unadvertised choking hazard, particularly for vulnerable elderly individuals, and lacks essential warnings on its packaging or leaflet about this significant risk.
Responded
Ian Jones
Concerns: The easy accessibility of electric motors and parts enables the conversion of pedal bicycles into high-powered, throttle-controlled scooters, posing dangers to both riders and the public.
Overdue
Simon Harding
Concerns: A severe lack of safety protocols at the moto-cross track, including no rider registration, safety briefings, or skill segregation, coupled with inadequate supervision and untrained staff, highlights a critical absence of mandatory industry regulation.
Responded
Afolabi Ojerinde
Concerns: Petrol stations lack adequate controls and guidance to ensure compliance with regulations regarding dispensing petrol, failing to prevent unsafe access to fuel.
Responded
Alex Crook
Concerns: Critical safety failures include schools breaching statutory swimming lesson duties, inadequate "no swimming" signage at open water, and poor placement of life-saving throw lines.
Responded
Tobias Barraclough
Concerns: There are no legal restrictions on newly qualified drivers carrying multiple young passengers, which increases collision risk and warrants a review of current provisions.
Responded
Joseph Walsh
Concerns: There are no legal restrictions on newly qualified drivers carrying multiple young passengers, which increases collision risk and warrants a review of current provisions.
Responded
Angela Carney
Concerns: Many mobility scooters, especially older models, lack a crucial secondary hand brake system, creating significant safety risks for riders and the public. Guidelines need reviewing.
Responded
Fehim Ahmet
Concerns: Estate agents lack industry standards or guidance for informing tenants about property hazards, such as unsafe accessible flat roofs, and failed to follow up on prior complaints.
Responded
Emily Lewis
Concerns: Inconsistent regulations for high-speed RIB operations, inadequate craft design for passenger safety, poor forward visibility, and insufficient risk management systems contribute to serious impact and vibration injuries. Licensing arrangements and interim safety measures are needed.
Responded
Catherine Forbes
Concerns: Industry-wide marina safety concerns persist, including inadequate ladder design, insufficient numbers/placement, and poor visibility for persons who fall into water, compounded by safety not being a key criterion for industry awards.
Overdue
Natasha Johnston
Concerns: The absence of regulation on the number and weight of dogs an individual can walk in public creates significant safety risks for both dog walkers and other members of the public.
Responded
Wilfred Fitchett, Jevon Hirst, Hugo Morris and Harvey Owen
Concerns: The absence of legal restrictions on newly qualified and young drivers carrying multiple young passengers significantly increases collision risk, leading to concerns about future deaths.
Responded
Robin van Caliskan
Concerns: A company's risk assessment dismissed lifeguards as impractical, yet a safety officer found compliance borderline and noted other similar venues employed them. Concerns exist that lessons about pool safety and the necessity of lifeguards have not been learned.
Responded
Alfie Tollett
Concerns: The car's gear selection design, lacking an intermediary step beyond a button press, contributed to driver error, raising concerns about vehicle safety features.
Responded
Elizabeth Van Der Drift
Concerns: Brightly coloured laundry pods and their sweet-like packaging are confused for food by people with dementia, and easy-to-open packaging increases the risk of accidental ingestion of toxic products.
Responded
Peter Gregory
Concerns: The CAA lacks regulations or guidance for the design, testing, and inspection of amateur-built balloons, and does not regulate competition balloon flying, leaving critical safety aspects unaddressed despite known risks.
Responded
Andrew Story
Concerns: The absence of lifeguards, warning signs, or flags on a rough beach during tourist season created unsafe swimming conditions, despite high public usage.
Responded
Afolabi Ojerinde
Concerns: Petrol stations allow unsupervised fuel dispensing via automatic payment, enabling individuals to use pumps without required vehicles or authorised containers, lacking staff oversight.
Responded
Dominic Chapman
Concerns: Unclear and inconsistently applied opponent matching criteria, coupled with insufficient oversight of training standards, created safety risks at charity white-collar boxing events.
Responded
Chanyang Li
Concerns: Student accommodation windows lacked adequate restrictors, enabling a fatal fall from a sixth-story, highlighting a failure to address the known risk of students falling from windows.
Responded
Christopher Townsend
Concerns: The ACU's generic, pre-populated risk assessment for grass-track events and the lack of a mandatory event-specific safety plan for Club/National events create a significant risk of future deaths.
Responded
Ellie Hunt
Concerns: The absence of a legal requirement for seatbelts in the rear of motorhomes for adults and children over three creates a significant public safety risk.
Responded
Shirley Hunt
Concerns: The absence of a legal requirement for seatbelts in the rear of motorhomes for adults and children over three creates a significant public safety risk.
Responded
Shaun Crossfield
Concerns: The absence of a regulatory authority and mandatory inspections for "class BGD Luna 2 Paraglider" aircraft allowed unchecked self-repairs, leading to a fatal accident due to a propeller defect.
Responded
Christopher Kapessa
Concerns: The Coal Authority lacked accessible risk information, specific water safety policies, and effective inspection protocols, failing to address deep, fast-flowing water dangers and implement identified safety works.
Responded
Andrew Rees
Concerns: A broken marina rescue chain was missed by visual inspections, and the council lacked formal assessment to trigger reviews of port risk assessments based on changes in usage.
Responded
Jonathan Goldstein, Hannah Goldstein and Saskia Goldstein
Concerns: A critical lack of compulsory mountain flying training and guidance for UK PPL(A) license holders means pilots undertake hazardous flights without adequate knowledge of specific risks and tactics.
Responded
Graham Coombe
Concerns: Emergency access to the pier was obstructed by a locked gate and unavailable key. Additionally, life-saving rings were hidden, had insufficient rope length for low tide, and were inadequate in number.
Responded
Adam Johnson
Concerns: The International Ice Hockey Federation does not mandate neck guards for adult players, raising concern that this lack of required protective equipment could lead to future deaths.
Responded
Musa Konteh
Concerns: Jet ski hire operations had virtually no health and safety procedures, lacking instructions on emergency cut-offs, warnings for hazards, and failing to provide lifejackets.
Overdue
Karlton Donaghey
Concerns: Helium balloons are freely available without adequate warnings, and parents lack sufficient awareness of the significant risks they pose to young children.
Responded
Iain Farrell
Concerns: Concerns arise from risks associated with lone guiding in coasteering, including guide incapacitation, delayed alarm raising due to inaccessible communication, and inadequate assessment of participant swimming ability or fitness.
Responded
Sandra Curran
Concerns: UK tour operators failed to adequately warn holidaymakers, particularly weak swimmers, about the risks and challenges of sea swimming and snorkelling in unfamiliar locations with strong currents.
Responded
Kellie Poole
Concerns: There is a significant lack of regulatory oversight and clear safety guidance for cold water immersion businesses, leading to inadequate risk assessments, inconsistent leader training, and insufficient safety measures for participants.
Responded
John Wrigley
Concerns: The tyre barrier failed to absorb sufficient impact energy, and available energy-dissipating protection was not utilised. Furthermore, wet track conditions and racer error were not adequately considered in safety assessments.
Responded
Melissa Kerr
Concerns: Patients traveling abroad for Brazilian Buttock Lift surgery are unaware of high mortality risks and lack of safety controls, including inadequate pre-operative assessment and surgeon consultation.
Responded
Emma Morrissey
Concerns: Health tourism company failed to adequately assess patient fitness for surgery abroad, using unclear pre-assessment questions. There was no investigation into the operating table death, and embalming and medical reporting were inadequate.
Responded
Ross Ballatine, Carl McGrath, Alan Minard
Concerns: The agency failed to adequately assess vessel stability after significant modifications, relying on inadequate checks and skipper assurances, leading to a risk of other unassessed modified vessels operating unsafely.
Responded
Mustafa Nadeem
Concerns: Children easily bypassed age and licence checks to illegally use hire e-scooters, facilitated by inadequate identity verification and payment system vulnerabilities. Limited regulation and ineffective education exacerbate this risk.
Responded
Karl Mitchell
Concerns: Many older lorry-mounted cranes with dangerous stabiliser designs remain in use, posing a crush injury risk as safety modifications are not universally applied. There is an urgent need to disseminate safety learning and modification awareness throughout the industry.
Overdue
Sarah Waller and Laura Pottinger
Concerns: The absence of a barrier at the bottom of the weir, despite its hazardous re-circulating flow, particularly at high water levels, poses a significant risk of future drownings.
Overdue
Kyron Hibbert
Concerns: The Trust failed to address known drowning risks at a lake, with inadequate supervision, missing water depth warnings, and inaccessible life-saving equipment.
Responded
James Parsons
Concerns: Porthleven Harbour and its pier presented significant safety risks due to sheer drops, absent railings, poor lighting, trip hazards, and a lack of escape provisions for anyone falling into the water.
Responded
Jamie Wood
Concerns: Heavy concrete panels on a farm were secured using a weaker, non-standard method, unrecognised during inspections, indicating a widespread lack of understanding of safe fixing practices among farmers and inspectors.
Responded
Natalie Young
Concerns: The absence of regulations for mobility scooter operators regarding vision, cognitive ability, and substance impairment, coupled with no registration requirements, poses significant safety risks, especially to vulnerable pedestrians.
Responded
Michael Holmes
Concerns: The current layout of public footpaths through fields with cattle, particularly cows with calves, creates an unacceptable risk of trampling incidents, exacerbated by a lack of clear regulations for dogs on leads.
Overdue
Ashley Bullard
Concerns: Concerns include excessive freeplay in vehicle lifts, unsuitable lift pad adapters for narrow points, absence of critical safety warnings, and inadequate recall of lifts with substandard gear ring bolts.
Overdue
Sylvia Price
Concerns: The lack of enforceable requirements for clear signage identifying accessible toilet facilities in public buildings, despite its absence contributing to a death, poses a risk for future accidents.
Overdue
Malcolm Basten
Concerns: There are no mandatory requirements for statutory agency notification, inspection, or accredited health and safety training for principal contractors undertaking significant work-at-height projects.
Overdue
Emma Powell
Concerns: Retailers fail to provide essential safety advice at the point of paddleboard sale, specifically regarding the mandatory wearing of life-saving equipment and appropriate leash usage for varying water conditions.
Responded
Akeem Rhoden
Concerns: Waterfall signage is inadequate, poorly placed, and lacks clear, concise warnings about water dangers, particularly for non-swimmers, contributing to a lack of awareness of potential drowning risks.
Overdue
Ruwaida Adan
Concerns: The karting venue's safety checks for loose hair and clothing are inadequate, as track marshals frequently miss hazards. Despite known issues, there's no evidence of improved training or monitoring for marshals, indicating a concerning lack of commitment to safety.
Responded
Neha Raju
Concerns: Lethal substances are readily available for purchase online and delivered within the UK without safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals from making such purchases.
Responded
David Honnor
Concerns: Public access to gas canisters used for self-harm is unrestricted, lacking licensing or clear colour coding for emergency identification, and safety information on labels is insufficient.
Overdue
Jennifer Davies
Concerns: Delivery van drivers, exempt from Working Time Regulations, can work excessively long hours without mandatory breaks, posing a significant risk to public safety, particularly pedestrians in populated areas.
Responded
Stanley Hardy
Concerns: A coach driver avoided emergency braking, despite seeing a pedestrian, due to training prioritising passenger welfare. Emergency braking procedures are not a required part of bus and coach driver training.
Responded
Hemanta Rai
Concerns: Inadequate and unclear signage at a waterfall location fails to explicitly warn visitors of drowning risks. Furthermore, responsibility for safety in this multi-jurisdictional area is poorly defined.
Overdue
Kane Davidson
Concerns: The council's landlord licensing process lacks prior premises audits and doesn't explicitly address child safety risks like internal blinds. Enforcement for non-compliance is unclear, and tenant certificates are misleading.
Responded
Laura Smallwood
Concerns: The absence of a single 'Event Organiser' for public events hinders safety planning and risk management, as authorities lack legal powers to mandate an organiser or refuse unsafe events.
Responded
Sandra Barnett
Concerns: The staircase at a holiday rental may not have met safety regulation standards for width, depth, and handrails at the time of a fatal fall, indicating a potential ongoing risk.
Responded
Emiliano Sala
Concerns: The market for illegal commercial flights, especially in sports, operates without required safety standards, risking future deaths. The Civil Aviation Authority has limited powers to investigate and prosecute these breaches.
Responded
Richard Sanders
Concerns: There is insufficient awareness of immersion pulmonary oedema risks in diving, a lack of mandatory "fitness to dive" medical certificates, and inefficient diver removal procedures at diving centres.
Responded
Jordan Mhlanga-Veira
Concerns: Urgent review needed for safety measures at non-tidal waters, including warning signs, throw ropes, and buoys, with consideration for applying similar approaches to those used for tidal waters.
Responded
Steven Evans
Concerns: A lack of mandatory radio communication between ground crew and glider pilots meant observed glider problems before launch were not communicated. This ongoing absence of mandatory radio use poses a future risk to lives.
Responded
Aaron Fretwell
Concerns: An agricultural trailer lacked a required propping device and warning signs, failing to meet safety regulations. Many similar trailers remain in use without these critical safety features, posing a risk of future accidents.
Responded
Kenneth Audsley
Concerns: A lethal gas risk in transformers was unrecognised due to inadequate warnings, missing manufacturer guidance on safe oil levels, and lack of recommended maintenance.
Responded
William Buchanan
Concerns: Elderly individuals can acquire mobility scooters without any assessment of their suitability or competence to use them, posing a significant safety risk.
Responded
Emiel Malinski
Concerns: Miniature rifle ranges operate with minimal regulation, lacking essential safety measures such as secure weapon tethering, competent supervision, ammunition control, and first aid provisions.
Responded
Nicholas O’Brien
Concerns: A kite-surfing radio device adhered to a helmet failed to detach when entangled, preventing depowering and leading to a fatal dragging incident. The device's attachment method was insecure, posing risks for similar helmet-mounted accessories.
Responded
Shane Gilmer
Concerns: Crossbows lack essential regulation, including ownership records or licensing, unlike firearms. This absence of control over their circulation and storage, despite their lethal capabilities, poses a significant public safety risk.
Overdue
Elliot Burton
Concerns: An unmanned, remote site known for youth trespass has deep, uncovered water channels and inadequate perimeter security, presenting a foreseeable drowning risk that remains unaddressed.
Responded
Anya Buckley
Concerns: Admitting unsupervised 16-17 year olds to festivals where illicit drugs and alcohol are prevalent exposes vulnerable teenagers to significant harm, raising concerns about licensing bodies' responsibility.
Responded
Joey Walker
Concerns: Residential landlords are not required to inspect window coverings in private rental properties to ensure only safety cords are used, posing a risk of entanglement.
Responded
Ashley Holden
Concerns: Inconsistent and absent definitive guidance for stacking, unstacking, loading, and securing bales in agriculture creates a risk of unsafe practices and fatalities from falling bales.
Responded
Ava-May Littleboy
Concerns: Concerns exist regarding whether an appropriate operating or instruction manual was obtained for the inflatable trampoline, which exploded and caused a fatality.
Responded
Michael Bostock
Concerns: Lack of clear guidance on paraglider speed bar specifications, absence of speed bar inspection in pre-flight checks, and insufficient consideration for pilot size/weight in system configuration pose safety risks.
Responded
Malika Shamas and Haider Ali
Concerns: Inadequate and poorly located beach signage, insufficient surveillance, and lack of warnings contributed to fatalities, suggesting a need for improved information boards and increased beach patrol presence.
Overdue
Martin Ellis
Concerns: Easy public access to a restricted dam, inadequate signage, and exposed live wiring led to an electrocution, with no explanation or report on building regulations enforcement provided.
Overdue
Colin North
Concerns: There is a severe lack of pedestrian control on race tracks immediately post-race, with active vehicles and no designated safe zones or walkways. Risk assessments are inadequate for both pedestrians and staff on the track.
Responded
Jacob Bates
Concerns: Vulnerable 16-18 year olds are placed in unregulated care settings lacking statutory oversight, leaving local authorities unable to adequately assess provider competency or safety due to resource constraints.
Responded
Eugeniusz Malek
Concerns: The absence of regulations for capping scaffolding poles in areas where workers may fall created a hazard, contributing to fatal injuries from uncapped poles.
Overdue
Mark Anderson
Concerns: Motorcyclists using Trelai Park as an unfettered racing area pose a significant safety risk to the general public, particularly children and the elderly.
Overdue
Henry Campbell-Byatt
Concerns: The resort lacked essential deep-water rescue equipment and trained staff. The system for monitoring swimmers was inadequate, necessitating improved watchtower manning and safety equipment.
Overdue
Leah Cambridge
Concerns: A lack of regulatory oversight for BBL procedures in the UK, coupled with insufficient and untimely provision of information for informed consent, exposes patients to significant mortality and morbidity risks.
Responded
Jonathan Adebanjo
Concerns: Swimming prohibition signs are too small and lack detail regarding specific dangers like poor visibility, undercurrents, and submerged debris.
Overdue
Evha Jannath
Concerns: The ride suffered from inadequate CCTV monitoring due to staffing issues, lack of clear safety warnings to guests, poor signage, and no staff training or equipment for water rescue, alongside unclear emergency procedures.
Overdue
Russell Bowry
Concerns: Employers in the rigging industry delegate critical work-at-height safety to individual riggers without ensuring proper planning, supervision, or adequate safety features. This leads to routine unsafe practices, with riggers having minimal influence over their own fall protection.
Overdue