One in three Lincolnshire construction sites fail safety inspections

Date:

18 May 2010

Release No:

HSE/EM012/10

Just over a third of construction sites visited in Lincolnshire during March failed safety inspections.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out checks at 17 construction sites in the county during two days of intensive inspections.

They issued a total of six enforcement notices, either stopping work immediately or requiring improvements to be made. The majority of the notices covered unsafe work being carried out at height.

One site in Lincolnshire is still under investigation with a view to being prosecuted.

Richard Lockwood, HSE's Principal Inspector of Construction for the East Midlands said:

"The majority of the construction sites our inspectors visited had good health and safety procedures in place. But the other sites are letting the rest of the industry down and putting workers' lives at risk.

"HSE will not tolerate poor health and safety standards on construction sites and we will continue to make unannounced visits and take enforcement action when necessary, until the message gets across. It simply isn't worth taking risks to try and save money.

"Companies have a legal responsibility to protect the lives of workers and site safety should be paramount."

Latest figures from HSE show there were 113 serious injuries on construction sites in Lincolnshire last year. The intensive inspections took place as part of a month-long initiative aimed at stopping dangerous practices on building sites across Great Britain.

HSE wants to raise awareness of construction site risks to prevent deaths and injuries in the future. Construction is one of Britain's most dangerous industries, with one death and 777 serious injuries in the East Midlands during 2008/9.

Last year inspectors visited 1759 sites and 2145 contractors and were forced to issue more than 270 prohibition notices to stop dangerous work - much of it relating to working from height.

Notes to editors

1. During the inspection initiative, HSE inspectors looked 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
2. Falls from height remains one of the most common causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction sector in Great Britain, with more than five incidents recorded every day.
3. Incidents by county
   
   

   	Fatal		Major		Over 3 days off work
   County	07/08	08/09	07/08	08/09	07/08	08/09
   Derbyshire	-	-	63	56	136	106
   Leicestershire	-	1	74	44	144	101
   Lincolnshire	1	-	43	44	96	69
   Northamptonshire	1	-	49	39	73	91
   Nottinghamshire	2	-	78	74	181	153
   East Midlands	4	1	307	257	630	520

4. Simple mistakes shatter lives. Information on how to avoid slips, trips and falls from height in the construction industry http://www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives/industry-construction.htm
5. Further information on the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm.htm
6. Further information on falls and trips in the construction industry http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/campaigns/fallstrips/index.htm
7. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk

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Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News & PR East Midlands