Next generation of builders given advice to prevent shattered lives

Date:

5 March 2010

Release No:

722/W/09

Construction students from Coleg Sir Gar in Ammanford received valuable advice in staying alive while working at height at a safety day organised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the South Wales Working Well Together group.

Supporting HSE's "Shattered Lives" campaign which highlights the often devastating consequences of slips, trips and falls in the workplace, the safety days aim to give the next generation of builders sounds advice on safer working at height.

Carl Norman (Trainer) MD of Macob Scaffolding Ltd with students Dave Saunders & Poppy Truelove

HSE Principal Inspector for Construction in Wales, Paul Harvey said:

"Safe working at height is a particular issue in the construction industry in Wales, and we visit a significant number of sites where jobs haven't been planned properly, resulting in a lack of edge protection or other means to prevent people falling and suffering injury.

"Unfortunately, we also deal with incidents where workers have been killed or left with such serious injuries that they are unable to work again. So we hope that these events will ultimately save the lives and livelihoods of those starting out in the construction industry."

Demonstrations included basic tips on erecting scaffolding as well as the correct use of safety harnesses and choosing the right means of accessing high-up areas.

The "Shattered Lives" campaign involves raising awareness of the impact of slips, trips and falls in the workplace and directs people to the new Shattered Lives website (www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives) for practical advice and guidance.

The campaign is targeted at those sectors where there is a high number of slips, trips and falls accidents each year, specifically, health and social care, education, food manufacturing, food retail, catering and hospitality, building and plant maintenance, and construction.

In construction in Wales in 2008/09, one worker died and 243 were injured due to falls from height.

Notes to editors

1. The Working Well Together campaign aims to improve health and safety in the construction industry, particularly in small and micro businesses. The South Wales Working Well Together group is made up of construction companies, local authorities and other organisations with an interest in health and safety in the construction industry.
2. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It works to prevent death, injury and ill-health to those at work and those affected by work activities. For more information about the work of HSE, visit www.hse.gov.uk
3. Reportable major injuries include fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes; amputations; dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine; loss of sight (temporary or permanent); chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye; injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness, or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; any other injury: leading to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or unconsciousness; or requiring resuscitation; or requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; and unconsciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to harmful substance or biological agent.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR Wales