Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Construction
Welcome to the latest edition of Construction Infonet.
Construction Infonet is a free e-Bulletin from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to provide a regular update on health and safety issues for all in the construction industry.
HSE hasn’t banned ladders, we just want anyone working at height to use the right ladder for the job and to use it safely.
The Ladder Exchange started on 1 September. The aim is to increase general awareness of the risks involved in ladder use and promote sensible health and safety. The concept is simple; if you have a ladder that is bent, broken or battered you can part exchange it for a new one with a discount of up to 50%.
The strategic forum for construction tower crane group has launched a range of initiatives to improve health and safety in tower cranes including
In supporting the work of the tower cranes working group the secretary of state for work and pensions, James Purnell said, “construction workers and tower crane operators have the right to expect a safe working environment. I'm pleased to see the way the industry has worked together to produce this important guidance, let's make sure it gets put into action.”
During october and november 2008 HSE in partnership with key stakeholders will be running a national campaign to target tradesmen who are still at risk from exposure to asbestos. The primary aim of the campaign is to raise awareness amongst tradesmen that they are more at risk than they think from asbestos.
Find out more about asbestos and the precautions you should be taking:
HSE construction division is holding an event for designers to discuss and influence COHME – HSE’s guidance on the management of health issues in construction.
The workshop aims to review cohme from a designers perspective and identify what further guidance is required on occupational health risks for designers.
The workshop is taking place at HSE’s office in london on 26 September 2008. It is free but places are limited.Read details of some recent HSE prosecutions and enforcement action in the construction sector and find sources of relevant advice.
HSE has warned all employers to ensure they protect their workers’ lives after the jailing of a company director for manslaughter. The director of Alcon Construction LTD of Norwich, was sentenced to 12 months jail after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Wu Zhu Weng. He also received a five-year disqualification from acting as a company director after pleading guilty to breaching section 37 of the health and safety at work etc 1974 act. Mr Weng was working for alcon construction on the refurbishment of a building in Trowse, Norwich, when he fell 12 feet through a skylight, suffering fatal injuries
HSE is urging companies to provide full safety equipment to employees working at height, following the prosecution of a hampshire company after an employee fell three and a half metres through a fragile roof and suffered a broken collarbone, fractured ribs and a fractured skull in three places. He was working on the roof of an industrial building, applying self-adhesive flashboard to a chimney, and was standing on two crawling boards -which were an insufficient platform to work on, and no coverings or guard-rails had been provided to prevent him falling through the roof.
HSE is warning construction companies to ensure they provide a safe system of work and proper training and supervision, after three men were seriously injured when the scaffolding they were erecting collapsed onto a busy road in staffordshire.
Further information:
HSE has warned the construction industry of the need to ensure that mobile crane operations are properly planned and supervised. The warning follows HSE's prosecution of two construction companies after a 35 tonne truck mounted telescopic crane overturned in warrington, after one of the outriggers which support the crane sank into the ground.
HSE has warned businesses to ensure that they have safe systems of work in place during lifting and removal activities. This follows an HSE prosecution of a london company and their sub-contractor, after a worker suffered a broken pelvis when a panel of glass fell on him.
Further information:
Building contractors are being warned by HSE to ensure they adequately control the use of cement and exposure of employees to such hazardous substances. This follows HSE's prosecution of an oxford-based building company after one of its employees sustained significant burns to his legs after wet concrete poured into his wellington boots on a site in Warwickshire.
Further information
HSE is trialling a free SMS text message service. This service will allow you to receive links to the latest important updates on HSE's construction web pages as soon as possible on your mobile phone.
Sign up and be the first to get HSE construction health and safety updates.This compilation DVD for small businesses was originally broadcast on BBC2 as 10 half-hour programmes. The content has been updated as much as possible to reflect for example, recent changes to smoking in the workplace and noise exposure limits. Each episode also includes a health and safety surgery where an expert gives advice to a business owner on how to tackle a particular problem.
Infoline - Health and safety information and advice: Call 0845 345 0055 or visit the contact page.
Report an accident: Call 0845 300 9923 or visit the RIDDOR web site.
We issue e-Bulletins on a regular basis and would welcome your feedback and views as well as any suggestions/contributions for future articles.
Thank you to those who provided feedback on the previous editions - we have tried to incorporate as many of the suggestions as possible.
You can contact us at: construction-manager@bulletins.hse.gov.uk