HSE to focus on health as well as safety

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is setting its sights on the wellbeing of those in the construction sector in its latest initiative.

The drive, which started on Monday, 22nd September, is aiming to reduce illnesses on the building sites of Britain, as well as ensuring that injuries and deaths continue to fall.

The HSE will make unannounced visits on construction sites where repair works and refurbishment projects are taking place, ensuring that activities deemed ‘high risk’ are being correctly managed. A key focus for the health and safety body will be to ensure that workers are protected from the damaging effects of asbestos, silica and other such harmful materials with the right personal protective equipment (PPE).

If the teams find any standards falling below acceptable levels, immediate enforcement notices will be issued.

According to the organisation, every year there are more than 30,000 people in the construction industry made ill through their work. As a result, the HSE is urging site workers, building firms and other associated businesses to be mindful of ‘health’.

The chief construction inspector for the body, Philip White, commented:

“Industry has made much progress in reducing the number of people killed and injured in its activities, but for every fatal accident, approximately 100 construction workers die from a work-related cancer.”

White went on to say that in its last drive targeting safe health practices, one in six construction sites that was visited was issued an enforcement notice.

He continued to explain that it was often smaller contractors that were caught failing their workers.