Construction safety blitz

During September 2013, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out spot check inspections which revealed significant safety failings on construction sites.

Spot checks were carried out on 2,607 sites in the repair and refurbishment sector and HSE inspectors found that 1,105 sites (42%) did not meet basic health and safety requirements. And on another 644 sites (25%), safety was so poor enforcement action had to be taken to protect workers.

The most common problem discovered by HSE inspectors was a failure to ensure that workers were safely working at height. In addition there were issues about workers being exposed to harmful dust and poor welfare facilities.

Steve Murphy, general secretary of the construction union UCATT said “These are basic safety requirements. It demonstrates why it is essential that the HSE is given resources to increase their level of inspections. The vast majority of constructions sites will not have been inspected as part of this campaign.

“Unless employers have a genuine fear that shoddy safety practices will be exposed, they will continue to cut corners when it comes to safety.”

http://press.hse.gov.uk/2013/more-than-1100-construction-sites-fail-safety-checks