Construction workers - Your safety at work

All construction workers have a right to work on sites where they do not get hurt or ill through work.

Your employer and the main contractor on site are responsible for health and safety, but you must help by being aware of your own and your employer’s responsibilities.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the government agency responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation in Great Britain.

This website will help overseas construction workers and their employers understand their roles and responsibilities under British health and safety law.

If you are working here from overseas, this website will help you:

• find out about your rights and responsibilities under health and safety law; and
• find information on health and safety including your basic rights, good practice, legal standards and conditions of work.

If you are an employer or main contractor this website will enable you to provide written guidance for employees who do not speak English.

You can contact the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) by calling one of these Helpline numbers (English also spoken):

• 0207 556 2181 - Gujarati
• 0207 556 2206 - Hindi
• 0207 556 2294 - Punjabi
• 0207 556 2239 - Polish
• 0207 556 2200 - Romanian

Please note: All calls made to these numbers are confidential and you do not have to give your name if you don’t want to.

Alternatively you can email us at: outreach@hse.gsi.gov.uk.

If you need information about other problems at work - for example, unpaid wages, long hours, or holiday and sick pay - then call the special Pay and Rights Help Line on 0800 917 2368.