Working at height still the most common safety risk in HSE spot checks

The HSE has recently carried out health and safety assessment spot checks at constructions sites across the UK and found only 60% of them protecting their workers satisfactorily.

Of the sites inspected 1 in 5 were formally prosecuted under the health and safety at work act with 42% of those enforcements relating to working at height.

HSE’s Chief of Construction Philip White said:

“These results show that whilst the majority of employers in the refurbishment sector are getting it right, a significant part of the industry is seriously failing its workers.

“The inability to properly plan working at height continues to be a major issue…”

Other notable results of the spot-checks identified  these other significant health and safety breaches:

• Failure to control dust (12%)
• Insufficient welfare (12%)
• Asbestos (10%).