Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) are staging a two-week programme of unannounced site visits in September to tackle a number of risks facing local construction workers.
During these site visits, HSENI inspectors will seek improvements where work activities fall short of expected standards. However, if workers are at risk, they will not hesitate to take enforcement action to stop work activities immediately.
The visits will focus on the high-risk activity of working at height, the safe management of the risks from asbestos, the control of silica dust and lifting aids for heavy materials, such as kerbs.
In addition, HSENI inspectors will look at how sites are managed, whether risk assessments are being used properly, if sites are tidy and with good welfare facilities.
To ensure the risks from asbestos are properly managed, HSENI will also check, where appropriate, that asbestos surveys have been carried out prior to any refurbishment or demolition work.
Announcing the new series of inspections, Nancy Henry who heads up HSENI’s construction group said: “Construction is one of the more dangerous industries and a lax attitude to health and safety costs people’s lives.
“Many accidents and risks to health are completely avoidable by putting in place very simple and sensible measures that are well known across the industry.
“HSENI will continue to provide advice to the industry but, as we’ve demonstrated in previous years, HSENI will not hesitate to take action if we find poor practices that are putting the lives of workers at risk.”
