Feb 14 2006
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)'s Chief Inspector of Construction, Stephen Williams, attended a special safety and health awareness event in York on Wednesday 8 February, aimed at improving the level of awareness of safety standards in the housebuilding industry.
The event, which was organised by the HSE, was held in partnership with thirteen major Yorkshire and Northern housebuilders, plus the Federation of Master Builders, National Federation of Builders and the National House Builders Corporation.
More than 400 workers and apprentices from local housebuilding firms and sub-contractors attended the event which included demonstrations run by industry specialists on managing risks of falls from height, the use of step ladders and ladders, transport management with an emphasis on pedestrian segregation, manual handling and management of noise and vibration in construction. There was also an exhibition of up to date safety equipment and safety support systems that are available on the market.
Chris Smith, Principal Inspector for the construction industry in West and North Yorkshire said:
"The Health and Safety Executive has worked with the construction industry over the last 11 years to improve safety standards in the region. The safety record in Yorkshire has improved during that period but sadly there are still preventable incidents that leave workers seriously injured and very occasionally killed. For example inspectors have investigated three incidents where employees have fallen whilst installing new joist/floor systems in the past year causing major injury accidents and inspectors report much more work is still needed to reduce the risk of injury by better control of site transport..
"Smaller housebuilders particularly find it difficult to keep up with the safety aspects of new methods of construction but it is they who suffer most when incidents occur and they have to explain to their workmate's family that their loved one is in hospital, or even worse, will not be coming home. They owe it to their workforce to keep up to date with standards... and, of course, it may help them win contracts."