One in Five Construction Sites Fail Health and Safety Checks

Recent figures revealed that one in five construction sites failed
health and safety checks during the latest national inspection
initiative carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Inspectors from Britain's workplace regulator visited 1,759
refurbishment sites during March and checked on how 2,145 contractors
were complying with health and safety regulations.

Sufficent serious risks were discovered on 348 sites to warrant
enforcement action being taken - either stopping work immediately or
ordering improvements to be made. Almost five hundred enforcement
notices were issued.

The HSE said that improvements had been witnessed by its inspectors in
certain parts of the country since last year - when inspectors had to
take enforcement action on 30% of the sites visited.
Phillip White, HSE's new Chief Inspector of Construction, said:

"This inspection initiative was well publicised and for our inspectors
to still find this level of disregard for basic health and safety
standards on refurbishment sites is disappointing.

"While any improvement has to be welcomed, our inspectors still found
practices so far below the acceptable standard that they felt it
necessary to take enforcement action on one in five sites. This is
still very worrying."

Unsafe work at height practices remain a huge concern. As in the
previous initiative, over half of the enforcement action taken this
time was as a result of dangerous work at height, which last year
(2007/08) led to the death of 34 construction workers.

Last year (2007/08) over half (52%) of the workers who died on
construction sites worked in the refurbishment, repair and maintenance
sector.

During the inspection initiative, HSE inspectors looked at whether:

* Jobs that involved working at height had been identified and
properly planned to ensure that appropriate precautions were in place.
* Equipment was correctly installed/assembled, inspected and
maintained and used properly.
* Sites were well organised to avoid trips and falls
* Walkways and stairs were free from obstructions
* Work areas were clear on unnecessary materials and waste
* The risks associated with exposure to asbestos were managed and
carried out correctly
* The work force were made aware of risk control measures