Construction health and safety in the spotlight

It is no surprise that firms in the construction industry are generally keen to fill their health and safety vacancies with the very best candidates around. Such people play a vital role in keeping workers safe and in helping to ensure that companies remain within the law.

Highlighting the need for businesses to conform to health and safety laws, a month-long initiative recently saw many construction firms subjected to enforcement action.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited a total of 2,363 sites where refurbishment or repair work was taking place and saw 2,976 contractors.

The organisation served 631 enforcement notices across 433 sites for poor practices that could have put workers at risk. Of these, 451 notices ordered that work stop immediately until the problems were corrected. The site visits, which were unannounced, took place between February 18th and March 15th.

Commenting on the inspections, Philip White from the HSE said: “This initiative has once again shown us that the majority of construction employers do take their responsibilities to their workers seriously.

“However, our inspectors also encountered numerous examples of poor practice, from lack of edge protection on stairwells and scaffolding to unsafe storage of flammable materials and inadequate personal protective equipment. None of these are acceptable on a modern construction site.”

He went on to note that the HSE will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers against any employers deemed to be reckless, noting that it is these firms that “continue to make construction one of the most dangerous industries in which to work”.

By making sure they select the most suitable people to fill health and safety jobs, bosses can minimise dangers to their workers’ wellbeing and help ensure they do not transgress the relevant safety laws. In addition, they can enhance their peace of mind.