7 June 2004 - HSE "Kicks Off" June 2004 Construction Blitz
As part of a Europe-wide inspection campaign to reduce the number of fatal and serious injuries in the construction industry, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be inspecting sites across Great Britain during the month of June 2004.
Hugh Robertson, a member of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has good experience in health and safety and negotiating which has given him experience of workers’ health and safety concerns. He has worked for the public services trade union UNISON, and its predecessor Nalgo from 1981 until the the end of 2003, as National Officer for Local Government and as Head of Health and Safety and Bargaining Support. Since January 2004 he has served as Senior Policy Officer on Health and Safety at the TUC.
Hugh Robertson had this to say on announcing this blitz:
“As
part of our ‘Revitalising Health and Safety’ strategy, HSC has identified
the construction industry as a priority area. Because of its poor health and
safety performance and its size, the industry contributes the major share of
fatal and serious injuries in the GB’s workplaces.
“I am also most pleased that industry is working in support of HSE’s Blitz.
Partnership working is at the core of the Commission’s new strategy for
workplace health and safety – and this is an excellent early example of what
we want to see. Industry creates the risks and it is industry that has to
take the lead in controlling them so that we can secure our vision in which
our health and safety performance leads the world - and in which health and
safety is the cornerstone of a civilised construction industry in a
civilised society.”
Three major causes of fatal and serious injuries in construction will be
targeted during the blitz: from height, transport on sites and lifting
heavy loads.
During the blitz, inspectors will be expecting to find:
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Assessment of the risk from all work at height
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Traffic management plans as port of the health and safety plan
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Lifting operations planned by trained, competent and appointed persons
HSE Says, "accidents resulting from falls, transport or lifting are a high priority for HSE, it is likely that enforcement action, including prohibiting work, will be taken on sites where effective precautions are not in place."
More information and guidance can be obtained from the HSE Construction web site here.
