Is your Construction Site up to scratch?

Following news last week that over 500 construction sites were forced to stop work as they failed to meet health and safety standards, we'd like to know is your site up to scratch?

 

Safety on the construction site is not down to one individual person, responsibility is given to the employees, Site Supervisors, Site Managers and the Managing Directors.  However, when actually on-site, the Site Supervisors and Managers must hold responsibility and have control over employees on the site.  

 

During September, the HSE reported they'd visited just over 2,500 construction sites across the UK, serving 539 notices ordering the sites to stop work immediately.  The sites checked included refurbishment or repair work sites.  As well as the sites ordered to stop work, it was found that over 1,000 sites weren't meeting basic health and safety requirements.  Of this, 644 sites were cautioned as working conditions were so poor they did not protect workers.  

 

Some of the most common problems identified were the failure to protect workers during activities at height.  This is one of the biggest causes of injury on the construction site and should be treated with extreme caution as a result.  When working at height, employees should be fully trained in all levels of health and safety, restricted barriers and scaffolding should also be safely in place.  It is also recommended that workers don't work at height unless completely necessary.  When managing a construction site, this is one of the factors Site Managers and Supervisors need to be completely trained in.  

 

Another issue identified by inspectors was the amount of exposures to harmful dust.  Again, this could cause a lot of damage to an employee so needs to be monitored and managed as required.  Construction dust is not just a pain but it can also seriously damage your health and some types of dust can even kill.  It's shocking to hear that over 500 people die from inhaling certain types of construction dust every year.  There are three main things you need to do when managing construction dust; Assess, Control and Review.  

 

HSE believe that construction sites which failed their inspections largely did so due to a 'lack of understanding'.  With construction courses for Supervisors and Managers available, there is very little reason for a lack of health and safety understanding after completion of the course.  

 

Have a look at the SMSTS and SSSTS training courses on our website if you are in any doubt over your construction sites safety.