Lawford Kidd's Blog

Health and safety in the construction industry has recently come under the spotlight after a nationwide campaign by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found an alarming number of sites were failing to meet basic safety standards.

Many sites visited by the HSE

The campaign involved HSE inspectors visiting 2,607 sites across the UK where refurbishment or repair work was being carried out. They looked at whether:

• jobs that involved working at height were identified and properly planned to ensure that appropriate precautions, such as proper support of structures, are in place,
• quipment was correctly installed / assembled, inspected and maintained and used properly,
• proper monitoring and control arrangements to prevent unnecessary exposure to harmful dusts were in place,
• sites were well organised, to avoid trips and falls, walkways and stairs free from obstructions, and
• work areas were clear of unnecessary materials and waste and welfare facilities were adequate.

Safety standards found to be inadequate

During their visits, inspectors found insufficient safety standards on almost half (1,105) sites, and on 644 sites work was being carried out in such an unsafe manner than enforcement action had to be taken to protect workers. As a result, HSE inspectors were forced to serve 539 prohibition notices ordering dangerous activities to stop immediately, and 414 improvement notices requiring standards to improve.

New research by LV= Broker has found that one in 20 small business owners have no insurance cover in place – equivalent to 230,000 businesses across the UK - leaving them vulnerable to liability claims, hefty fines and prosecution.

By law, all businesses employing staff must have employers’ liability (EL) insurance as a minimum otherwise they can be fined up to £2,500 a day by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Despite this, the research found that 350,000 small businesses that employ staff have no cover in place.

As well as being vulnerable to fines from the HSE, business owners could find themselves heavily out of pocket should one of their staff make a claim against them. According to LV= claims data, there has been an increase in the frequency of employer liability claims as more employees brings claims against their employers.

A five-prong plan for driving down the number of people killed and seriously injured in the waste and recycling industry has been published.

The Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum has been working on its blueprint for better risk management since a landmark summit in February, and the final plan puts the focus on those areas where industry leaders agree action needs to be concentrated.

WISH’s plan outlines 24 immediate action points under five strategic themes – providing strong leadership, involving the workforce, building competence, creating healthier and safer workplaces, and providing support for small and medium sized employers.

A chemical firm has been fined £120,000 after an employee sustained severe burns when he was engulfed by a fireball at a factory in Wirral.

The 45-year-old was kept in an induced coma for seven weeks following a chemical explosion at the plant on 28th February last year.

The company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following an investigation into the incident, which left the employee with burns to his face, right arm and upper body.

Unsafe practices on construction sites are to be targeted as part of a national initiative aimed at reducing death, injury and ill-health.

During a month-long drive to improve standards in one of Britain's most dangerous industries, the Health and Safety Executive will visit sites where refurbishment or repair works are taking place.

Inspectors will ensure that construction sites are effectively managing high-risk activity, such as working at height.