Work at six building sites in the Bradford area was halted immediately during an inspection initiative focusing on the construction industry by the Health & Safety Executive.

There were 61 sites inspected across West and South Yorkshire during first three weeks of September and while the majority were found to be managing health & safety appropriately, work was stopped on six small construction sites in Bradford district.

HSE inspectors served three Prohibition Notices after witnessing how workers were being put at risk because of poorly planned and inadequate use of working platforms and scaffolding. The other three were served for other safety-related matters.

The inspection campaign was in response to the continued loss of life and serious injury arising from falls from height. In the year to April, 49 workers lost their lives on construction sites in the UK, with falls from height being the most common cause of fatal injuries.

David Stewart, HSE‘s Principal Inspector for construction in the Yorkshire region, said: “While the initiative was primarily to raise awareness of the problem of unsafe working practices, it is of concern that work at height was being undertaken in a dangerous manner on three sites.

“Straightforward practical precautions are well known in the industry. Safe access equipment is readily available for purchase or hire and there is no excuse for workers, and the self employed, to put themselves in a position of danger when working at height.

“There was a marginal, though still welcome, improvement for this inspection activity on previous ones in terms of the ratio of good to poor performances but there is no reason to be complacent.

“HSE will continue to maintain a strong enforcement profile where there is blatant disregard to safe working practice.

There is news about all the latest changes to health & safety in the next issue of Natural Stone Specialist, out on 22 October.