HSE to clamp down on health and safety on construction sites
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has begun a month-long clampdown on health and safety at construction sites throughout the country.
The HSE figures show that in Greater Manchester, 392 workers were injured in construction sites in 2009/10. One fatality was reported in the town of Bury.
In the East Midlands, four workers lost their lives due to failures in health and safety training and procedures on construction sites. A further 645 suffered injuries.
In response to these regional figures and others from all over the UK, the HSE is sending inspectors out to check health and safety standards on construction sites nationwide in a month-long crackdown.
The inspectors will be focusing their attentions on repair, refurbishment and maintenance sites, which is apparently where most accidents and injuries are reported. Two major issues for the health and safety body are asbestos exposure and the dangers of working at height.
Wayne Crumpton, the HSE’s Principal Inspector for Construction, said:
“This will be the fifth year that we have run the inspection initiative and we expect that they’ll be examples of both good and bad practice those where employers are taking all the measures they can to protect their workers, and those where safety is way down the list of priorities.”