May 24 2004
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be visiting construction sites nationwide during June 2004 in a bid to reduce the number of fatal and serious injuries in the industry.
This latest ‘blitz’ by HSE forms part of the FaTal Risks Campaign 2004, an EU wide initiative to address the three major causes of fatal and serious injuries in construction.
Site visits will take place between 7 and 25 June. HSE inspectors will concentrate on:
- F - falls arising from work at height; and
- T - transport on site including mobile plant and vehicles; and
- L - lifting heavy loads with cranes and other lifting machines.
Falls, transport and lifting incidents account for over 70% of all fatal injuries in construction, almost 300 people have died from these causes in the last 5 years.
HSE’s Chief Inspector for Construction Kevin Myers said:
“A good deal has been done by the construction industry to control the risks from falls, transport and lifting operations, however, the number of fatal and serious injuries is not declining fast enough. All involved, from client to contractor, must use the spur of this EU initiative to make further progress to secure effective control and changes to the underlying culture that are needed to advance and sustain improvements in construction health and safety. We are now looking to clients, designers, planning supervisors and contractors to take account of these hazards well before work starts on site. To help achieve this goal we are working with key industry intermediaries including CONIAC and trade associations to support this campaign.
“At this stage a number of organisations have already pledged support to help drive this message home to their members”.
Prior to the site blitz phase, HSE’s construction sector will issue 4 pages of free guidance to industry stakeholders; copies are available for clients, designers, planning supervisors and contractors involved in construction procurement, design and planning.
Source: HSE