Construction Infonet is a free e-Bulletin 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 e-Bulletin service continues to grow in popularity and now has over 49,000 members.
Seasons Greetings and Best Wishes for a Safe, Healthy and Happy New Year!
HSE is reminding construction managers to secure their sites to reduce the risks of accidents during the Christmas shut-down.
In past years, many members of the public have been killed and injured in construction-related incidents across Great Britain. These incidents have included material being blown off site, scaffolding collapsing or children gaining access to poorly protected sites.
Before closing sites for the holiday, contractors should carry out checks to ensure loose material is secure and scaffolding is properly supported. It should be checked particularly after bad weather.
Children often see poorly guarded sites as playgrounds, so contractors should do all they can to help prevent them gaining access in the first place. They should also ensure that potentially dangerous areas such as deep excavations are secure
Should the site be closed for a significant period, it may be sensible to arrange for regular checks to take place to ensure that the site remains safe and secure.
Start the new year by trying out the seven steps of leadership and worker involvement.
Construction Skills have produced a useful video clip. It is aimed at young workers but may equally be of interest to all workers.
HSE has prepared a series of short case studies to demonstrate some of the new and practical solutions used to manage health, safety and welfare during the construction phase of the London 2012 project.
Information about outdoor working and managing the temperature of your working environment.
Read details of some recent HSE prosecutions and enforcement action in the construction sector and find sources of relevant advice.
1 December 2011 – Two construction companies have been fined a total of £60,000 following the death of a worker who fell from a cherry picker on a dual carriageway in Liverpool.
5 December 2011 - A Pembroke Dock construction company was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,376.25 after a labourer suffered serious injuries after falling seven metres from a balcony on a construction site. The company director was fined £4,000, with costs of £2,376.25 and disqualified from acting as a company director, managing or in any way controlling a company for at least two years.
14 December 2011 - Three contractors from Essex have been fined a total of £53,000 after a roofer fell five metres, sustaining life threatening injuries that confined him to a wheelchair.
Assessing all work at height:
Roof work:
5 December 2011 – An Ipswich plumber who put lives at risk by illegally working on gas appliances has been ordered to do 100 hours of community service.
6 December 2011 - A Batley family was put in danger after a local builder carried out defective gas fitting work while constructing an extension to their home. The builder was fined a total of £5,000 with £1,620 costs.
Domestic gas health and safety:
Gas Safe Register:
8 December 2011 - A company and its manager have been fined after two workers were engulfed in a fireball when they cut through a live 1,000 volt electrical cable at an industrial unit in Telford when locating an underground water leak.
The company was today fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £4,420 costs. The manager was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.
Underground cables:
16 December 2011 - A construction company and its managing director have been sentenced after a father-of-two was crushed to death when a crane overturned in Liverpool.
The managing director was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £18,478 in prosecution costs. The company received a nominal fine of £50 with no costs as it has ceased trading.
Lifting operations - cranes:
Outcome of the recent public consultation, on extending the range of activities for which HSE recovers costs, as presented to HSE Board on 7 December 2011.
UK Timber Frame Association
Meeting the Requirements of the CDM Regulations
HSE free leaflet - Getting specialist help with health and safety
HSE free leaflet - Leptospirosis: Are you at risk?
Improve the health and safety of your business by attending a health and safety event near you. Most of the events are FREE and all provide an opportunity to meet like-minded people, see interesting new equipment and get confidential advice.
Places are available at the following Working Well Together (WWT) events
Plus many more WWT events over the forthcoming year:
Find out how you can get involved in a WWT Group in your area
Social media
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