Welcome to the latest edition of Construction Infonet.
Construction Infonet is a free eBulletin from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to provide a regular update on health and safety issues for all in the construction industry.
HSE Construction Division would like to thank you for all your support and positive feedback this year. The Construction Infonet eBulletin service continues to grow in popularity and now has over 46,000 members.
Seasons greetings and best wishes for a safe, healthy and happy new year!
Update to HSE safety alert issued 2nd October 2008.
The purpose of the original Alert was to raise awareness of the potential dangers from certain types of flues connected to gas-fired central heating installations in some properties that may not have been installed properly, or may have fallen into disrepair.
Revised technical guidance requires inspection hatches to be fitted in properties where the flue is concealed within voids and cannot be inspected.
Tailored advice to show different people in the construction industry what you need to do to meet your legal responsibilities for health and safety.
Read details of some recent HSE prosecutions and enforcement action in the construction sector and find sources of relevant advice.
14 December 2010 - A roofing contractor from East London broke his back when falling through the skylight of a building extension, after safety procedures were overlooked.
The worker fell while removing tarpaulin from the one-storey roof extension. The tarpaulin had been put in place to provide the ground floor of the flat with weather protection. The worker was removing this when the tarpaulin snagged. He stepped on some insulating board that had been laid across the skylight, which gave way under his weight. He fell over three metres to the concrete floor below.
James Thompson of Surrey pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,000.
15 December 2010 - Communications company BT has been fined £300,000 following the death of a worker who fell from a ladder while carrying out installation works.
Power construction engineer David Askew, 52, from Braintree, Essex, suffered fatal head injuries after falling from a wooden ladder at London's Canonbury Telephone Exchange on 27 October 2006.
The HSE investigation found a number of issues including a failure to ensure the work at height was properly planned, and that Mr Askew was provided with suitable access equipment for work at height. Two wooden ladders found at the scene had not been subject to an annual inspection, contrary to BT's own health and safety policy.
16 December 2010 - A subcontractor fell more than five metres from a crane ladder after suffering an electric shock at one of the UK's largest timber merchants. He was climbing a ladder to access the crane when he made contact with a live conductor. He fell 18ft and landed on the concrete floor.
Ridgeons Ltd admitted breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, failing to ensure work was carried out in such a manner as to not give rise to danger. The firm was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £4,344.70 in costs.
1 December 2010 - A demolition firm has been fined £8,000 after a teenager was blinded in one eye while helping to demolish a mill in Tameside.
The 19-year-old was using a pickaxe to lever up wooden floorboards when he was hit in his left eye by a splinter.
Dovestone Contractors Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 by failing to provide eye protection for its employees. The company was ordered to pay £4,000 towards the cost of the prosecution in addition to the fine.
10 December 2010 - A Burnley builder, Michael Connolly, whose employees were forced to work in unsanitary conditions, with no toilet or washing facilities, in Rochdale has appeared in court.
HSE inspectors who visited the site found that there were no toilets or washing facilities. They also discovered live wires sticking out of plug sockets, unsafe scaffolding and plaster and rubble scattered all over the site. Inspectors deemed the site to be so dangerous that Mr Connolly was immediately served with three improvement notices and two prohibition notices. Despite Mr Connolly's assurances that he had complied with all the notices, when inspectors revisited the site on several occasions over a 10-week period, they discovered he had still not
Michael Connolly pleaded guilty to failing to comply with Regulation 22(1)(c) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 by not providing suitable and sufficient washing facilities, and Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to comply with an improvement notice. He was fined £400 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.
HSE has agreed a plan for the publication of consultation documents on proposed changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR). The consultation paper will be published on the HSE website week commencing 17 January 2011. The deadline for responses will be 11 April 2011.
Improve the health and safety of your business by attending a health and safety event near you.
Places are available at the following Working Well Together (WWT) events
Thursday 27 January 2011, ICOSS Building, University of Sheffield, Sheffield.
A one day symposium exploring creative and effective approaches to integrating health and safety thinking into the undergraduate architecture curriculum.
This event is primarily aimed at architecture schools and specifically members of staff who coordinate / deliver teaching at undergraduate level. The symposium is also open to those who deal with issues of health and safety in architecture projects in practice or academia.
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