Event helps borders construction companies cut deaths

Date:

15 September 2010

Release No:

SCO/184/10

Construction workers across the Borders are being urged to pick up lifesaving advice at a forthcoming event on Wednesday 29 September.

The free event which takes place at Borders Union Showground aims to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities that occur in Scotland each year in the construction industry, as well as the number of people suffering from work-related ill health.

The event will offer practical information to employers and those who are self employed on how to deal with some of the most common hazards on small construction sites.

Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that over the last five years, 49 construction workers have been killed in Scotland.

The half-day event is aimed particularly at small to medium sized companies as figures show that three quarters of all workers killed or injured on building sites worked for companies employing fewer than 15 people.

Around 150 people are expected to attend on the day, which will feature presentations from industry experts on a variety of hazards including asbestos awareness, working at height, safe trench work and fire safety.

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.

As well as practical demonstrations and presentations, visitors can pick up one to one advice from HSE staff and representatives from the Working Well Together (WWT) Campaign throughout the day.

HSE Principal Inspector Iain Brodie said:

"Accidents on construction sites are often serious and can be fatal − it remains one of the most dangerous industries. It is vital that managers and company owners understand how to reduce risks on their sites.

"This free event will provide essential information and advice that could help save lives, so I urge local construction businesses to attend."

Notes to editors

1. The event is being run from 07:45am until 12:30pm on Wednesday 29 September, 2010 at Borders Union Showground, Springwood Park, Kelso, TD5 8LS.
2. Throughout the event there will be practical demonstrations on topics such as: asbestos/silca; working at height, low level access; working with buried services; safe trench work and welfare facilities.
3. Guidance and advice on how to reduce risks in the construction industry can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm, which includes free downloadable guidance such as "Health and Safety in Construction HSG 150"
4. 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. http://www.hse.gov.uk/
5. Working Well Together is an industry-wide construction health and safety campaign developed by the HSE's Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC). It is run by industry for industry. http://www.wwt.uk.com/
6. Between 2004/5 and 2008/9 inclusive, 49 people involved in construction in Scotland were killed and 6,969 sustained major injuries or injuries which kept them off work for more than three days. These, and further statistics, can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics, where you can also find provisional figures for 2009/10.

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Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News and PR (Scotland)