The Health and Safety Executive has announced that their inspectors will be checking that construction firms’ health standards are up to date. So, ask yourself, are you HSE compliant?
When are the inspections?
The inspections began on Monday 5th October 2020 and will last for a full month.
Where are the inspections taking place?
The inspections are mainly targeting construction firms and the inspections will be taking place across Great Britain.
What will the inspections focus on?
The inspections are due to focus on respiratory risks and occupational lung disease. To do this the inspectors will be looking at what measures businesses have in place to protect their workers’ lungs. They will be looking at measures regarding the likes of asbestos, silica, and wood dust.
However, should a HSE inspector identify any other areas of concern that are not listed above, they will take necessary actions to deal with them.
They also want to check that construction businesses are protecting their workers from the risk of coronavirus and ensuring that the workplaces are coronavirus compliant.
Why are they carrying out inspections?
HSE has previously carried out this health-focused initiative 3 times making this the 4th. HSE is carrying out inspections as a part of their longer-term strategy regarding health and work. They are carrying out the inspections to improve health within the industry.
Statistics
HSE reports that more than 3,500 builders die every year from work-related cancer. In addition to this, there are also many other cases of workplace sickness and working days lost as a result. [1]
Sarah Jardine, HSE’s chief inspector of construction, comments, “Around 100 times as many workers die from diseases caused or made worse by their work than are actually killed in construction accidents.
Our inspection initiatives ensure that inspectors are able to speak to duty holders and visit sites to look at the kind of action businesses in the construction industry are taking right now to protect their workers’ health, particularly when it comes to exposure to dust and damage to lungs.
There are a few simple things that everyone can do to make sure they are protecting their health and their future. Be aware of the risks associated with activities you do every day, recognise the dangers of hazardous dust and consider how it can affect your health. We want businesses and their workers to think of the job from start to finish and avoid creating dust by working in different ways to keep dust down and wear the right mask and clothing.”
[1] https://press.hse.gov.uk/2020/09/24/health-and-safety-executive-cracks-down-on-dust
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