Safety watchdog declares construction sites unsafe in parts of Yorkshire & the Humber

Date:

18 March 2011

Release No:

PN/51/11

Ten construction sites in parts of South Yorkshire & the Humber were so dangerous that workers lives were being put at risk according to inspectors who visited them during February and March.

In an initiative aimed at reducing deaths and injuries in one of Britain's most dangerous industries, inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive targeted 52 refurbishment sites involving 75 contractors. Ten were found to be so far below required standards that inspectors had to issue formal enforcement notices.

The findings come on top of a similar series of inspections in North Yorkshire's coastal resorts where 66 visits were made to refurbishment sites and one in four were served with enforcement notices.

Several of the sites were made to stop work immediately and others received enforcement notices requiring improvements to be made. Of the 52 visits in parts of South Yorkshire and Humber, inspectors issued nine prohibition notices, eight of which related to unsafe work being carried out at height. Two improvement notices were also served for premises where there were unacceptable practices for fire precautions and asbestos management.

Six enforcement notices were served in Hull, two in Sheffield and one each in Grimsby, Rotherham and Bridlington. No action needed to be taken from visits in Scunthorpe, Barnsley and Doncaster.

During 2009/10 a total of 833 construction injuries, and six deaths, were recorded in the region as a whole. Of these

• 100 were in Hull and East Riding with two deaths
• 250 in South Yorkshire with two deaths, and,
• 58 in North and North East Lincs.

HSE Inspector Hazel Dobb, who co-ordinated the Construction Initiative in South Yorkshire & Humber, said:

"This is the fifth year of the inspection initiative and it is disappointing to find construction sites taking the same unnecessary risks with their workers' lives. What is of most concern is that the over-riding failure concerned work at height - eight of the ten prohibition notices related this type of serious safety breach.

"Inspectors did report that on many sites, standards were generally higher and with better use of the right access solutions and tools for the job. However, despite these examples of good practice, which the industry can learn from, the fact that we found unsafe conditions on one in five sites is totally unacceptable. Companies have a responsibility to protect their workers, to help rid construction of its reputation as being one of Britain's most dangerous industries."

More information on construction safety is available at www.hse.gov.uk/construction.

Regional results

1. Hull had nine sites visited, five prohibition notices served - four for work at height and one for unacceptable order and one improvement notice relating to fire precautions
2. Sheffield had 13 sites visited and two prohibition notices served for work at height
3. Rotherham had nine visits and one prohibition notice for work at height
4. Grimsby had four visits and one prohibition notice for work at height
5. Bridlington had three visits and one improvement notice served relating to asbestos awareness
6. Doncaster had four visits, Barnsley eight and Scunthorpe two with no further action needed in all locations.

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; and
   • Work areas are clear of unnecessary materials and waste.
2. Falls from height remain 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. A prohibition notice is served where there is immediate danger and the work must stop immediately, while the issue is resolved.
4. An improvement notice sets a timeframe for a particular situation to be resolved, but work can continue.
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. Further information on asbestos can be found http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm

Press enquiries

Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.

Issued on behalf of the Health & Safety Executive by COI News & PR Yorkshire and the Humber