BASEMENT BLITZ REVEALS POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC RISKS
HSE ongoing inspection of basement projects looks to drive out poor performers
An inspection initiative by HSE construction division on 19 June 2012 involved visits to 59 residential basement projects across the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Camden and Haringey.
HSE assess domestic basement projects as “technically-challenging and carrying substantial risks”. The common issues found during the inspections were:
- Planning: work not properly planned;
- Temporary works: failure to appoint a competent engineer to design support;
- Welfare: poor or lack of welfare facilities for workers; and
- Falls from height: basic precautions missing e.g. edge protection.
Fatal incidents reveal devastating nature of a basement collapse
Inspectors took enforcement action at 17 sites involving 20 prohibition notices stopping dangerous practices with immediate effect and 6 improvement notices requiring longer term improvements. Key findings reported by HSE are:
- nearly one in three failed health and safety spot checks;
- majority of prohibitions related to unsafe work at height;
- fifth of prohibition notices dealt with inadequate temporary works e.g. propping, shuttering and other forms of support; and
- training and welfare concerns accounted for the majority of the improvement notices.
HSE Principal Construction Inspector Andrew Beal commented:
“Construction remains one of Britain’s most dangerous industries and fatal incidents across London have shown how devastating domestic basement collapses can be. Workers have also been seriously injured in excavations which have caved in or by buildings collapsing above them.
We’ve found similar failings across various sites and we will continue to clampdown on dangerous practices or poor standards until the message gets through. Contractors must properly plan their work and protect their workers from risks such as falls from height or structures collapsing.”
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
HSE LOOK TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR CDM SUPPORT
Council Inspectors focus on CDM client duties – asbestos, fragility and RCS
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th November 2019VERBAL WARNING OF DANGER IS NO DEFENCE
Hand of female worker entangled in modified metal drilling rig
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th November 2019UNDERGROUND CABLE STRIKE CAUSES 50% BURNS
Workman seriously injured using hand-held breaker to excavate post holes
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th November 2019HSE WELDING FUME REVISED GUIDANCE PUBLISHED
New research evidence on cancer link prompts revision on welding fume
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th November 2019VIBRATION MANAGEMENT FAILINGS FINED £600,000
Vital health surveillance, tool replacement and management found wanting
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th November 2019HSE ENFORCEMENT DATABASE LATEST UPDATE
View current online register of HSE prosecutions and enforcement notices
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 31st October 2019DEVELOPER AND DIRECTOR PUT PUBLIC AT RISK
Demolition undertaken without surveys and effective safety precautions
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 28th October 2019SELECTED NEWS POSTED RECENTLY ON TWITTER
![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](https://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
Links to other construction health and safety related news reports
BY-PASSING MACHINE INTERLOCK FINED £1.275 MILLION
Trapped key safety system failed to prevent access to conveyor danger
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th October 2019HSE LOSES PATIENCE WITH ERRANT CONTRACTOR
Roofing firm fined £30,000 over failure to manage work at height risks
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th October 2019TRUSS ERECTION LACKED INTERNAL FALL PROTECTION
Carpenter fell and injured whilst falling with roof truss
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th October 2019WORKMAN FELL HEAD FIRST THROUGH ROOFLIGHT
Fragile roof dangers not assessed and properly controlled
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th October 2019STRUCTURAL SAFETY BODY LATEST NEWSLETTER
CROSS publishes reports and expert comment on a range of issues
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th October 2019HSE RISK REDUCTION THROUGH DESIGN AWARD
Regulator seeks to promote hazard avoidance and risk minimisation
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th October 2019CLIENT AND CONTRACTOR FINED OVER ASBESTOS RISK
Checks for presence of asbestos not undertaken prior to refurbishment
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th October 2019DIRECTOR PROSECUTED AND JAILED AS EMPLOYEE
Workman fatally injured when crushed between bucket and wall
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th October 2019BUILDING MATERIALS FIRM FINED OVER FATALITY
Failure to effectively isolated power to machinery caused death of engineer
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 10th October 2019CUSTOM AND PRACTICE CAUSED EXPLOSION DEATHS
Electrical accumulator explosion claims the lives of two engineers
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 10th October 2019REBAR FELL DURING TANDEM FLT LIFTING OP
Workman seriously injured during improperly planned and executed lift
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 10th October 2019FIRM FINED AFTER FINGER OF TRAINEE SEVERED
Young worker injured hand working on unguarded rip saw
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 8th October 2019WORKMAN FELL THROUGH ROOF OPENING
Contractor failed to provide collective edge protection or fall arrest
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 7th October 2019DRIVER UNDER TRAINING CRUSHED BY TELEHANDLER
Court sentences company director to unpaid work community order
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th September 2019DIRECTOR IN DOCK OVER FRAGILE ROOF RISK
Roofing contractor and director failed to plan and manage falls risk
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th September 2019HSE START PROJECT HEALTH RISK INTERVENTIONS
Regulator set to check health risks assessed and controls in place
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th September 2019AIF NATIONAL WORKING AT HEIGHT CONFERENCE
HSE Construction Head to speak at Access Industry Forum conference
Posted on 23rd September 2019
March 1st, 2013 at 7:56 am
[…] of basements, particularly retro-fit, there are no clearly defined industry guidelines on their safe construction. As the trade association representing this specialist sector ASUCplus is now producing a best […]