HSE/NE/065/08 18 February 2008

Cutting deaths in construction – Northumberland contractors urged to protect their refurbishment workers from death and injury

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today warned the construction sector in Northumberland it will not tolerate poor safety standards that puts refurbishment workers at risk of dying or serious injury.

Last year 77 workers died in the construction industry in the UK and over half of these were in the refurbishment sector where the number of deaths rose by 61 per cent.

Throughout February HSE inspectors will be carrying out unannounced inspections of refurbishment sites during and out of hours across the North East to tackle poor safety standards.

Working at height and good site order will be the focus of inspections and contractors targeted can expect strong enforcement action.

In May 2007 a construction firm working on a site in Northumberland was fined £6,000 plus costs after it failed to comply with two improvement notices issued by HSE following an inspection.

HM Inspector of Health and Safety, Michael Brown, said: "An inspector visited the site in October 2006 and did not consider it had been kept in good order. In particular timber battens and pallets of bricks were being stored in such a manner as to cause an obstruction and there was debris in various locations causing a tripping hazard.

"The inspector also found scaffolding with what appeared to be a working platform without guard rails or toe boards or other means to prevent a person from falling. These are the kinds of things we do not want to see when we are visiting sites."

He added: "It is totally unacceptable that so many lives have been lost and continue to be put at risk on construction sites, particularly within the refurbishment sector. We will continue to take firm action against rogue elements who ignore safety precautions. Sites where health and safety is taken seriously in Northumberland have nothing to fear, but we will root out those that put lives at risk."

During the inspection initiative, HSE inspectors will be looking at whether:

• jobs that involve working at height have been identified and properly planned to ensure that appropriate precautions are in place;
• equipment is correctly installed/assembled, inspected and maintained and used properly;
• sites are well organised, to avoid trips and falls;
• walkways and stairs are free from obstructions;
• work areas are clear of unnecessary materials and waste;
• the workforce is made aware of risk control measures.

Notes to editors

1. HSE will be launching the ‘Shattered Lives’ campaign, focusing on slips, trips and falls, on 25 February 2008. ‘Shattered Lives’ will target construction site managers, and building and plant maintenance as well as catering and hospitality and food retail and manufacturing. Extensive campaign materials will be available on the interactive campaign website hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives
2. During the summer inspection initiative HSE inspected 1,586 contractors on construction refurbishment sites throughout June and July. Previous inspection initiatives include the Fit Out Campaign in 2005 hse.gov.uk/construction/fitout/index.htm and the Watch Your Step initiative in 2006 hse.gov.uk/construction/slips/index.htm
3. Reducing the number of injuries and deaths from trips and falls is a priority for HSE to help the construction industry meet its accident target by 2010. The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) published its strategy for workplace health and safety in Great Britain to 2010 and beyond on 23 February 2004. The strategy aims to promote a vision of health and safety as a cornerstone of a civilised society and to achieve a record of workplace health and safety that leads the world. The strategy is available at: hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/strategy.htm
4. HSE published the latest annual work related fatal injury statistics on 26 July 2007 which can be viewed at: hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm
5. HM Inspector of Health and Safety, Michael Brown, will be available for interview upon request.

Press enquiries (Journalists only)

Jackie Woods: Tel: 0191 202 3604; or
Jill Barber: Tel: 0191 202 3609.

Public enquiries

HSE’s InfoLine 0845 345 0055
Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG

HSE information and news releases can be accessed on the Internet www.hse.gov.uk

Issued on behalf of HSE by Government News Network North East.