Are there specific HSE enforcement actions related to diesel exhaust exposure?

Yes, there are. Over recent years, diesel engine exhaust emissions (DEEE) have become a clear enforcement priority, particularly where exposure is foreseeable and unmanaged. The HSE has issued Improvement Notices where employers failed to assess diesel exhaust risks or relied on outdated assumptions rather than evidence.

In more serious cases, enforcement has followed findings of poor ventilation, excessive engine idling indoors, or a complete lack of exposure monitoring. This is especially common in warehouses, vehicle maintenance facilities, and loading bays. While prosecutions tend to focus on broader COSHH failures, diesel exhaust is often a contributing factor.

What’s notable is that enforcement action doesn’t usually require obvious ill health or complaints. The absence of monitoring alone can be enough if exposure is reasonably likely. This reflects the classification of diesel exhaust as a carcinogen and the expectation that employers take a precautionary approach.

In short, enforcement is less about catching out employers and more about addressing situations where risks were known, or should have been known, but not properly managed.