The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will be focusing on construction sites carrying out refurbishment and maintenance as nearly three quarters of fatalities happen in this side of the construction business. During 2009/10, nearly 250 workers were seriously injured while working in construction across South Yorkshire, compared with 833 injuries in Yorkshire & the Humber as a whole. In the same period two men, from Barnsley and Doncaster, were fatally injured – both while working at height – and six deaths were recorded in the region. On the unannounced visits – starting on 14 February – regional inspectors will ensure that sites in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield are managing work-at-height safely and that they are in good order, as well as checking that the risk of exposure to asbestos is being properly managed. The inspections will target a range of building work from domestic roofing jobs to larger industrial unit renovations.Last year HSE inspectors visited more than 150 sites and 180 contractors in a four-week campaign in Yorkshire & the Humber. As a result, they had to issue 34 Prohibition Notices to stop dangerous work – much of it relating to working from height – and serve over 50 Improvement Notices. David Redman, Principal Inspector for Construction for HSE in South Yorkshire, said: “This will be the fifth year that we have run the inspection initiative and we anticipate that that we will see examples of good practice – where employers are taking the right steps to protect their workers – and bad – where safety comes too far down the list of priorities. “Poor control of risks in this industry is unacceptable, especially when many of the incidents can be avoided through simple precautions. As we have demonstrated in the past, we will take strong action if we find evidence that workers are being unnecessarily put at risk.“We will also be checking to make sure that the health risks from asbestos are being addressed. We will be asking if asbestos surveys have been done before refurbishment starts. Many workers believe that because asbestos has been banned as a building material, it is no longer a threat but that is untrue. Any premises built or refurbished before 2000 could contain asbestos.”Notes to Editors:1. During the inspection initiative, HSE inspectors will be looking at whether: Jobs that involve working at height have been identified and properly planned to ensure that appropriate precautions are in place Equipment is correctly installed / assembled, inspected and maintained and used properly Sites are well organised, to avoid trips and falls Walkways and stairs are free from obstructions Work areas are clear of unnecessary materials and waste 2. Falls from height remains one of the most common causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction sector in Great Britain, with more than five incidents recorded every day. 3. Further information on the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm.htm4. Further information on falls and trips in the construction industry http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/campaigns/fallstrips/index.htm5. Further information on asbestos can be found http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htmPress enquiriesHelen Atha 0113 346 6083 or [email protected] Out of hours HSE Press Office 0151 922 1221Public EnquiriesHSE InfoLine,Caerphilly Business Park,CaerphillyCF83 3GGTel: 0845 345 0055http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/index