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13 November 2006 - HSE Halt Work During
Safety Visits to Hull
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Owing to poor safety standards on construction sites in Hull, the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) had to halt work on almost 50% of sites visited during
their site inspections last week.
Of the fifty-six sites visited over a two day period, work was stopped at 24
sites where the HSE considered workers were at risk of potentially serious
injuries.
Some of the concerns regarding safety within the Hull sites were as follows:
- Unsafe scaffolding and poor planning with regard to working at height.
- Incorrect handling of heavy materials.
- Upwards of a dozen prohibition notices were issued.
- Some of the companies visited may even face prosecution.
One of the HSE Inspectors involved in the visits, Dave Stewart, said:
"Although health and safety standards on some of the sites visited were
good I am disappointed at the amount of work inspectors had to stop because
there was a clear risk to people's safety.
"In light of the poor performance observed during these visits we are
going to continue to target construction companies that cannot demonstrate
satisfactory health and safety standards when inspecting in the area.
"If it comes to a notice or prosecution there are serious matters that
need to be dealt with. We don't just serve them willy-nilly."
Paul Sewell, Managing Director of the Sewell Group, said:
"Inspections exposed contractors who did not invest in health and safety.
We consider that every incident avoided or potential life saved worth every hour
or pound spent."
However, Mr Sewell also warned that burgeoning rules could eventually prove
to be counter-productive and added:
"We consider third party audits to be very important but equally so would
be the close working between the HSE and contractors to develop leaner more
manageable systems and procedures that can be practicably delivered on site.
"Our joint goals should always be creating a safer working environment
rather than ever increasing regulation which may ultimately be counter
productive."
Figures from the HSE show that in 2005 there were 59 deaths and more than
3,600 major injuries within the construction industry. The HSE also
say many of these major injuries were "entirely preventable".
Further information on construction safety can be accessed from the HSE
Webpage by clicking the following:
HSE Construction
Other HSC fatalities statistics and falls from height can be accessed from
one of HSfB earlier news stories by clicking the following:
HSC Statistics for UK Fatal Injuries
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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