1552: 19/08/2014: UK building sites are failing to prevent health risks.

UK Sites are failing to prevent risks.

A national inspection conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to measure the health risks for construction workers has found that many UK sites are failing to prevent health risks.
Following a two-week period of targeted inspections, the HSE has had to take enforcement action to demand improvements and in some cases put a stop to work activities at one in six of hundreds of sites visited.
During the concentrated inspections period, HSE officers focused inspections on finding significant health risk issues, including respiratory risks, exposure to hazardous substances, manual handling, noise and vibration.
Out of a total of 560 sites visited, improvement notices were served at 107 sites and enforcement notices were served at 85.
HSE also confirmed that thirteen prohibition notices, which halt certain work practises until improvements are made, were served at another thirteen.
HSE Chief Inspector Heather Bryant has stated that the organisation has recognised significant progress in the battle to prevent injuries and deaths within the construction sector, but argues that there is still a long way to go for many businesses within the industry.
“HSE’s inspectors will consolidate the efforts of this initiative throughout the rest of the year by looking at the prevention and control of health risks in construction, alongside their continued assessment of the management of safety risk issues.”