HSE Inspections throughout Oct & Nov

HSE TARGETING CONSTRUTION SITES NATIONWIDE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2016

SUMMARY

• During the months of October and November 2016, HSE construction inspectors will be carrying out unannounced visits to sites where refurbishment projects or repair works are underway.

• Inspectors will be conducting a thorough inspection focusing on high-risk activities.

Focus of HSE Inspections 

• Proper management and control of dust
• Limiting exposure to noise and hazardous substances
• Safely working at height • Limiting exposure to vibration
• Compliance with the Lifting (LOLER) Regulations for all equipment 

Consequences for Non-Compliance

Where serious breaches of legislation are found, the HSE have made clear that immediate enforcement action will be taken. Of course, as we have reported previously, Fees for Intervention will apply to all sites where inspectors identify a “material breach”. 

Construction Design and Management Compliance

The HSE have also indicated that they will be paying particular attention to ensure that all duty holders on site and complying with their CDM responsibilities on site. 

Safety Smart Advice on HSE Spot Checks on Construction Sites 

• Make sure that all risk assessments have been recently reviewed and updated.

• Ensure that the health and safety file is present at all sites, especially CDM sites and that it is fully up to date and CDM compliant as necessary.

• Ensure that all work at height is properly managed, supervised and all work at height at equipment is compliant and all related maintenance logs have been reviewed. 

October 2016 Enforcement Action from Spot Checks 

1. Location: Forest Hall, Newcastle 
    Site: Refurbishment of a domestic property.
    Issue: Not working at height safely. 
    Enforcement Action: Prohibition Notice Served. 

Safety Smart Comment: Work at height regulations apply to all types of work, from large commercial ventures to domestic properties. This case involved a woeful and dangerous example of working at height without considering the risks involved.

2. Location: Salisbury 
    Site: Commercial Refurbishment. 
    Issue: Unsafe Work at height which had previously been prohibited by an HSE Inspector.
    Enforcement Action: Possible prosecution for breaching a Prohibition Notice.

Safety Smart Comment: Organisations who have received enforcement notices (prohibition and improvement notices) should ensure that they are taken seriously and comply with them, or risk facing individual prosecutions which can and do result in custodial sentences. 

3.  Location: Salisbury 
     Site: Refurbishment 
     Issue: Dust with no local exhaust ventilation (LEV). 
     Enforcement Action: A Notification of Contravention was served.

Safety Smart Comment: Safety Smart’s Legal Department have dealt with a number of prosecutions involving organisations who have failed to properly consider, manage and control the serious implications of dust. This is a common breach which organsiations fail to properly consider, focusing instead on the more obvious breaches. 

Future Safety Smart Updates 

Safety Smart will continue throughout October and November, whilst the HSE’s spot check programme is still running, to provide regular updates regarding the enforcement action taken and comment regarding the contravention.