Nationwide inspections
June 1st 2007 Last year, of the 59 worker
deaths in construction, 24
were caused by a fall from
height. A further 4000 major
injuries, such as broken
bones or fractured skulls
were reported by the
construction industry and
half of these involved a fall
from below head height or
tripping over materials on
walkways.
In a bid to reduce the
number of deaths and
injuries caused by falls and
trips, the Health and Safety
Executive has announced
that more than 1000
nationwide inspections will
take place on construction
sites throughout June and
July.
Stephen Williams, HSE
Chief Inspector of
Construction, said "The
figures speak for themselves
and we are going to tackle
the issue head on with
enforcement led inspections.
Of course, the key to success
will be support from
construction workers and the
industry itself.
However, we are prepared
to take action against those
who carelessly flout safety
precautions with devastating
effects to workers and their
families."
HSE inspectors are going
to focus on making sure the
correct precautions are taken
during work at low and high
heights to prevent the risk
of any fall. They will also be
checking that sites are kept
in good order with
footpaths, corridors and
stairwells free of obstruction.
Stephen Williams adds "It
is unacceptable that so
many lives are being lost by
falls and trips, especially
when simple precautions can
significantly reduce the risk.
"Employers must ensure
that workers are competent
and have access to the right
equipment. Sensible
measures like keeping
walkways on site clear must
be taken to see an
improvement in safety."
More information on the
'Trips and Falls in
Construction inspection is
available at hse.gov.uk/
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