Event helps construction companies cut deaths and injury

Date:

23 February 2011

Release No:

SCO/018/11

Construction workers involved in refurbishment projects in and around Renfrewshire are being urged to pick up lifesaving advice at a free event on Wednesday 2nd March.

During 2009/10, 42 workers died while working in construction across Great Britain and more than two thirds (69 per cent) of these deaths occurred during refurbishment, repair and maintenance activities.

The Working Well Together campaign, a partnership between HSE and the construction industry, has organised a half-day event at Paisley Town Hall, to specifically address the issue of working safely when involved in refurbishment, as well as the number of people suffering from work-related ill health.

The event will be particularly useful for the self-employed and small construction companies as it will offer practical advice and solutions on how to control or minimise risks associated with refurbishment. Figures show that three quarters (75 per cent) of all people killed or injured in construction work for small firms employing fewer than 15 people.

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

The event has been timed to fit in with an intensive inspection initiative currently taking place across Scotland. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspectors will be making unannounced visits to refurbishment sites, ensuring that they are managing work at height safely and that they are in good order, as well as checking that the risk of exposure to asbestos is being properly managed.

HSE Principal Inspector Iain Brodie said:

"Construction is still one of the most dangerous industries in which to work. Last year more than two thirds of the workers who died in construction, worked in refurbishment, repair and maintenance.

"HSE Inspectors are currently visiting refurbishment projects all over Scotland to make sure they're safe. I'd urge anyone who feels nervous about the prospect of an Inspector arriving on their site to come along to this event and brush up on how to tackle some of the key risks facing the industry."

Notes to editors

1. The event is being run from 09.30-13.20 at Paisley Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley PA1 1FJ
2. Throughout the event there will be practical demonstrations on topics such as: asbestos/silica; working at height, low level access; manual handling, fire precautions 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 HSG150"
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 2005/6 and 200910 inclusive, 41 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.

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