HSE flags up construction concerns
ONE in five construction sites in Merseyside and Cheshire is dangerous to workers a recent inspection has found.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited 167 sites during which 32 were found to have working practices that could put workers’ lives at risk.
The inspections were carried out as part of a month-long drive across the UK to improve health and safety in one of the country’s most dangerous industries.
Neil Jamieson, HSE Principal Inspector for Construction, said: “The majority of the sites we visited were meeting acceptable standards but sadly one in five weren’t, putting the lives and health of workers at risk.”
During the visits in Merseyside and Cheshire, HSE inspectors issued 29 Prohibition Notices stopping work activities immediately and 15 Improvement Notices requiring changes to be made to working practices. Half of the notices related to unsafe work being carried out at height.
Two workers were killed and there were 95 serious injuries reported in the construction industry in Merseyside and Cheshire during 2010-11. Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of deaths and major injuries in the construction sector in country, with more than five incidents recorded every day.
Mr Jamieson added: “The fact that half of the enforcement notices we issued related to work at height shows that companies still aren’t doing enough to tackle one of the biggest causes of death and major injury in the sector.
“Implementing simple, inexpensive changes, or just a moment of extra thought, could prevent someone being killed or seriously injured. Employers should create an atmosphere where workers can raise concerns without fearing for their jobs.”
