Safety roadshow aims to prevent construction site deaths
13:12 - 10/06/2010
Safety roadshow aims to prevent const...
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has joined forces with leading construction companies to improve site safety after five construction workers were killed in the North West last year.
Advisors from both the HSE and the construction industry set off in a white van to conduct a fortnight-long tour of major construction sites in the region.
The ‘White Van Roadshow’ was devised to highlight the dangers inherent to the industry, focusing on the risks posed by untidy sites, working at height, manual handling, transport and asbestos.
The white van visited nine different sites in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire and spent a day at each site as HSE Inspectors and representatives from leading companies spoke to as many construction workers as possible. Events included practical demonstrations of new safety equipment and discussion of the daily dangers faced on sites.
Wayne Crumpton, HSE Inspector for Construction in Merseyside and Cheshire, said: “Good health and safety doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It can be as simple as making sure building sites are kept clean and tidy, or avoiding working on roofs in bad weather.”
The White Van Roadshow forms part of the Working Well Together initiative, which is a partnership between the HSE and the construction industry. The initiative aims to improve health and safety in the sector and therefore reduce the number of deaths and injuries for the future.
Such focus on the sector comes in the wake of a report earlier in the year which stated that 1 in 4 construction sites had failed HSE safety inspections. In addition to this, statistics from the North West reveal that 5 people died, over 450 people suffered major injuries, and nearly 900 people were kept off work for 3 days or more, as a result of working in construction last year.
Bill Gellatly, Senior Health and Safety Consultant, said: “This is a very positive step forward, lets hope that this is rolled out even further.
“The construction industry is, by its very nature, a hazardous environment to work in and, traditionally, it has also been a very 'macho' environment with health and safety being well down the list of priorities for the average construction worker.
“Taking the message direct to the site and letting everyone see for themselves just how important health and safety is can only be a good thing. It also allows everyone to understand that health and safety is designed to help not hinder.
“We in the consulting side of the business spend a lot of time doing this type of work with the management teams in construction and elsewhere and, with the added voice of the HSE on site, this can only assist us in our quest to improve the standards of health and safety throughout the UK in all industries.
"If you are unclear of your safety obligations, we can offer a complete consultancy service to assist with your policy production, review and advice, advise about your health and safety risk management systems and deliver asbestos and noise and vibration surveys.”
Call us to today discuss your organistions legal health & safety requirements.
Advisors from both the HSE and the construction industry set off in a white van to conduct a fortnight-long tour of major construction sites in the region.
The ‘White Van Roadshow’ was devised to highlight the dangers inherent to the industry, focusing on the risks posed by untidy sites, working at height, manual handling, transport and asbestos.
The white van visited nine different sites in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire and spent a day at each site as HSE Inspectors and representatives from leading companies spoke to as many construction workers as possible. Events included practical demonstrations of new safety equipment and discussion of the daily dangers faced on sites.
Wayne Crumpton, HSE Inspector for Construction in Merseyside and Cheshire, said: “Good health and safety doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It can be as simple as making sure building sites are kept clean and tidy, or avoiding working on roofs in bad weather.”
The White Van Roadshow forms part of the Working Well Together initiative, which is a partnership between the HSE and the construction industry. The initiative aims to improve health and safety in the sector and therefore reduce the number of deaths and injuries for the future.
Such focus on the sector comes in the wake of a report earlier in the year which stated that 1 in 4 construction sites had failed HSE safety inspections. In addition to this, statistics from the North West reveal that 5 people died, over 450 people suffered major injuries, and nearly 900 people were kept off work for 3 days or more, as a result of working in construction last year.
Bill Gellatly, Senior Health and Safety Consultant, said: “This is a very positive step forward, lets hope that this is rolled out even further.
“The construction industry is, by its very nature, a hazardous environment to work in and, traditionally, it has also been a very 'macho' environment with health and safety being well down the list of priorities for the average construction worker.
“Taking the message direct to the site and letting everyone see for themselves just how important health and safety is can only be a good thing. It also allows everyone to understand that health and safety is designed to help not hinder.
“We in the consulting side of the business spend a lot of time doing this type of work with the management teams in construction and elsewhere and, with the added voice of the HSE on site, this can only assist us in our quest to improve the standards of health and safety throughout the UK in all industries.
"If you are unclear of your safety obligations, we can offer a complete consultancy service to assist with your policy production, review and advice, advise about your health and safety risk management systems and deliver asbestos and noise and vibration surveys.”
Call us to today discuss your organistions legal health & safety requirements.
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