HSE INSPECTION BLITZ FINDS A "MIXED BAG"

HSE press release: E040:03 - 14 March 2003

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) construction safety blitz concentrating on site plant, vehicles and lifting operations across the East and South East of England this week has found a "mixed bag" of compliance with standards and control of risk.

Inspectors found serious risks to health and safety requiring enforcement action but the visits also revealed evidence that the construction industry is raising its game in this important area of site safety.

The provisional figures show that Inspectors visited over 200 projects and had contact with over 300 separate principal and sub contractors. Most projects involved between 10-50 persons, although some smaller and large projects were visited. A range of matters were identified requiring attention and 55 prohibition notices and 20 improvement notices were issued. Inspectors identified failure to secure effective separation of people and plant coupled with inadequate maintenance and provision of driver visibility aids as the main areas of concern.

In some cases, inspectors were diverted from their focus on plant, vehicles and lifting operations by immediate risks arising from work at height and in unsupported excavations. These matters accounted for a significant proportion of the prohibition notices issued.

Philip White HSE Construction Division Head of Operations for London, East and South East England said: "I am pleased that Inspectors found many instances where contractors had in place excellent systems to assess and control the target risks. It was clear our pre-blitz publicity had been effective and that it had reinforced the good work being done by many of those involved in construction projects. We need to see much more of this."

However, the inspections also uncovered sites where basic safety precautions were not being implemented or maintained.

Philip White said: "I personally witnessed examples of poor site management and a lack of control of activities that allowed unsafe working practices to persist."

The blitz was part of a rolling programme of blitzes being carried out the UK and it took place between 10 and 14 March 2003. Inspectors arrived unannounced at both small and large sites following extensive advance notice of the initiative given to contractors, plant suppliers, hirers and industry associations.

Notes to editors

The actions inspectors are able to take in the case of finding unsatisfactorily run sites, are serving an Improvement Notice, which orders the contractor to improve particular aspects of the site, or a Prohibition Notice, where work must be stopped until remedial action is taken to remove or control the risk. HSE can also take criminal prosecution or submit a report to the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland, if they find serious breaches of the law. If an Enforcement Notice is not complied with, HSE considers legal proceedings.

There were 79 fatal injuries to workers in the construction industry between 1 April 2001 and March 2002. A further 3,959 people were reported to have suffered a major injury. A quarter of the fatalities in 2001/2002 were caused by being struck by a moving vehicle or flying/falling object.

Forty-four per cent of fatal injuries to workers in construction between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001 were caused by falls from height; 17%- struck by moving vehicles, 8% - struck by moving/falling object, 17% - trapped by something collapsing/overturning, 14% - other. (Health and Safety Statistics 2000/01)

Reducing fatalities, injuries and ill health in construction is a Health and Safety Commission (HSC) priority programme

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