Construction students in Salford are being warned about the potential dangers of the industry after it claimed 17 lives in Greater Manchester during the past five years.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has arranged for leading specialists to meet more than 300 undergraduates at Salford University this week to make them aware of the risks they face in their new careers.
On average, construction workers suffer more than 600 serious injuries in Greater Manchester every year. And across Great Britain, there were 53 deaths and over 11,000 serious injuries in the industry in 2008/9.
Experts from HSE, Shepherd Construction, Mott MacDonald and Bovis Lend Lease will now visit the university on 25 February to give students tips for staying safe when they enter the industry.
Bill Dixon, HSE Construction Inspector in the North West, will be a guest speaker at the event. He said:
"The students in Salford have spent most of their university lives learning the skills and techniques they'll need in the construction industry, but our biggest concern is their safety.
"It is simply unacceptable that, on average, three construction workers are killed and hundreds more are seriously injured in Greater Manchester every year. We'll continue to offer guidance to those already in the industry but we also need to make sure those entering it stay safe.
"The event will cover the dangers of working at height, design and management, lifting operations, excavations, electricity and health and welfare. We've brought in leading specialists to speak to the students. All of them have first-hand experience of working in the industry.
"The students we're meeting on Thursday will become leading figures in the construction industry in the future. They'll need a good grounding in health and safety that will allow them to look after themselves and also their future employees.
"We'll be giving real life examples of what happens when health and safety isn't taken seriously on construction site. Hopefully, the event will help to reduce deaths and injuries in the future."
The special training event has been organised as part of the Working Well Together initiative - a partnership between HSE and the construction industry - which aims to improve health and safety in the sector. It is being held in the Chapman One lecture hall at Salford University at 1pm on Thursday 25 February.
A total of 2.2 million people work in construction in Great Britain, making it the country's biggest industry. More information on improving safety is available at www.hse.gov.uk/construction.
Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.
Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News and PR North West
Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office who act as HSE's Press Office throughout Great Britain.
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