HSE clampdown to improve construction site safety in West Yorkshire

Date:

20 February 2012

Release No:

YH/28 /12

The family of a Dewsbury decorator, who died from long-term injuries suffered in a fall from an unsuitable ladder, is backing a new inspection initiative aimed at reducing death and injury on building sites.

In a week-long drive from today (21 February), inspectors from the Health & Safety Executive will be visiting sites in Kirklees and Wakefield where refurbishment or repair works are being carried out. It forms part of a month-long national initiative to improve standards in one of Britain's most dangerous industries.

Mr Neil Dawson, 42, from Barnsley, his younger brother Paul and their mother, Jackie, who still lives in Dewsbury, were left devastated after Trevor Dawson, then 58, sustained life-changing injuries in the fall. He had been painting a dormer window during refurbishment work on student accommodation in Newsome, Huddersfield, back in August 2007.

The father and grandfather had severe brain damage and had to go into a nursing home for 24-hour care. He died in June 2010 as a result of a fit brought on by the head injuries he suffered.

The primary focus of the inspections will be on high-risk activity such as working at height and also 'good order' such as ensuring sites are clean and tidy with clear access routes and good welfare facilities. They will also assess general site safety to identify potential risks.

The purpose of the initiative is to remind those working in construction that poor standards are unacceptable and could result in enforcement action.

Neil, a machine operative, said:

"The loss of Dad left a huge hole in all our lives. My mother lost her soulmate and she has never got over his loss. My partner and I have five children and two of them never got the chance to meet their granddad.

"It is still a mystery why my father, who was so safety conscious and had been all his working life, was on a ladder that was not up to standard for the work being undertaken on the site. He had been a decorator since he was 16 so he was very experienced. He'd talk about retiring and living on the east coast by the sea, but that was all taken away so quickly.

"Any campaign that highlights the dangers faced by workers on building sites gets our support. Safety is paramount - it is someone's life after all. You don't get a second chance."

During 2010/11, two workers were killed while working in construction in West Yorkshire and more than 100 major injuries were reported. There were seven deaths and nearly 250 serious injuries across Yorkshire and the Humber as a whole.

David Stewart, Principal Inspector for Construction for HSE in West and North Yorkshire, said:

"This will be the sixth year that we have run the inspection initiative and we anticipate that that we will see examples of good practice - where employers are taking the right steps to protect their workers - and bad - where safety comes too far down the list of priorities.

"Poor management of risks in this industry is unacceptable, especially when many of the incidents can be avoided through simple precautions. As we have demonstrated in the past, we will take strong action if we find evidence that workers are being unnecessarily put at risk.

"Although the inspection initiative will primarily be focusing on construction sites in Kirklees and Wakefield, any site in West Yorkshire could be visited during the campaign. Employers should ensure that sites are safe places to work or expect enforcement action to be taken."

HSE has targeted the three other West Yorkshire areas of Leeds, Bradford and Calderdale in previous years' construction campaigns.

Further information about safe-working in construction can be found online at www.hse.gov.uk/construction

Notes to editors

A table showing fatalities and major injuries in the construction industry over the past five years across Yorkshire and the Humber is below.

1. During the inspection initiative, HSE inspectors will be looking 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 & operatives have had the right training to use the equipment
   • Sites are well organised, to avoid trips and falls
   • Walkways and stairs are free from obstructions
   • Work areas are clear of unnecessary materials and waste
2. Falls from height remains 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. Further information on the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm.htm
4. Further information on falls and trips in the construction industry http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/campaigns/fallstrips/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