HSE HEALTH WEBPAGES UPDATED AND REVISED
Changes reflect raised inspection & enforcement on health risks
The HSE managing health risks webpages have been changed extensively to support the increasing HSE focus on “health as well as safety” risks in construction.
HSE recognise that there have been big improvements over recent years in reducing the number and rate of injuries to construction workers. However, a number of serious ill-health issues continue to affect construction workers. These can be devastating for individuals and families.
This new webpages tell you about these risks and how to manage them.
The ‘Big picture’
Every year more working days are lost due to work-related illness compared to injuries. The statistics[1] reveal that construction workers have a high risk of developing diseases from a number of health issues.
- Cancer – construction has the largest burden of occupational cancer amongst the industrial sectors. It accounts for over 40% of occupational cancer deaths and cancer registrations. It is estimated that past exposures in the construction sector annually cause over 5,000 occupational cancer cases and approximately 3,700 deaths. The most significant cause of these cancers is asbestos (70%) followed by silica (17%) working as a painter and diesel engine exhaust (6-7% each).
- Hazardous substances – dusts, chemicals and potentially harmful mixtures (eg in paints) are common in construction work. Some processes emit dusts, fumes, vapours or gases into the air and these can be significant causes of breathing problems and lung diseases. A number of construction-related occupations also have high rates of dermatitis from skin exposures to hazardous substances.
- Physical health risks – skilled construction and building trades are one of the occupations with the highest estimated prevalence of back injuries and upper limb disorders.Manual handling is the most commonly reported cause of over seven-day injuries in the industry. Construction also has one of highest rates of ill-health caused by noise and vibration.
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
HSE ENFORCEMENT DATABASE LATEST UPDATE
View current online register of HSE prosecutions and enforcement notices
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Posted on 31st October 2019DEVELOPER AND DIRECTOR PUT PUBLIC AT RISK
Demolition undertaken without surveys and effective safety precautions
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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
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Posted on 24th October 2019HSE LOSES PATIENCE WITH ERRANT CONTRACTOR
Roofing firm fined £30,000 over failure to manage work at height risks
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Posted on 24th October 2019TRUSS ERECTION LACKED INTERNAL FALL PROTECTION
Carpenter fell and injured whilst falling with roof truss
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Posted on 24th October 2019WORKMAN FELL HEAD FIRST THROUGH ROOFLIGHT
Fragile roof dangers not assessed and properly controlled
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Posted on 24th October 2019STRUCTURAL SAFETY BODY LATEST NEWSLETTER
CROSS publishes reports and expert comment on a range of issues
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Posted on 18th October 2019HSE RISK REDUCTION THROUGH DESIGN AWARD
Regulator seeks to promote hazard avoidance and risk minimisation
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Posted on 18th October 2019CLIENT AND CONTRACTOR FINED OVER ASBESTOS RISK
Checks for presence of asbestos not undertaken prior to refurbishment
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Posted on 18th October 2019DIRECTOR PROSECUTED AND JAILED AS EMPLOYEE
Workman fatally injured when crushed between bucket and wall
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Posted on 18th October 2019BUILDING MATERIALS FIRM FINED OVER FATALITY
Failure to effectively isolated power to machinery caused death of engineer
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Posted on 10th October 2019CUSTOM AND PRACTICE CAUSED EXPLOSION DEATHS
Electrical accumulator explosion claims the lives of two engineers
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Posted on 10th October 2019REBAR FELL DURING TANDEM FLT LIFTING OP
Workman seriously injured during improperly planned and executed lift
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Posted on 10th October 2019FIRM FINED AFTER FINGER OF TRAINEE SEVERED
Young worker injured hand working on unguarded rip saw
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Posted on 8th October 2019WORKMAN FELL THROUGH ROOF OPENING
Contractor failed to provide collective edge protection or fall arrest
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Posted on 7th October 2019DRIVER UNDER TRAINING CRUSHED BY TELEHANDLER
Court sentences company director to unpaid work community order
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Posted on 30th September 2019DIRECTOR IN DOCK OVER FRAGILE ROOF RISK
Roofing contractor and director failed to plan and manage falls risk
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Posted on 30th September 2019HSE START PROJECT HEALTH RISK INTERVENTIONS
Regulator set to check health risks assessed and controls in place
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Posted on 30th September 2019AIF NATIONAL WORKING AT HEIGHT CONFERENCE
HSE Construction Head to speak at Access Industry Forum conference
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Posted on 23rd September 2019NEW HSE HAVS CALCULATOR TO HELP CONTROL RISK
New calculator includes “cautious estimates” for common tools
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Posted on 23rd September 2019JAIL TERM FOR DIRECTOR OVER LORRY CRANE DEFECTS
Operator impaled on dangerous and uninspected lifting appliance
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Posted on 23rd September 2019STEEL PIPE FALL TRIGGERS FREAK CAUSE OF DEATH
Wooden bearer sent flying by pipe struck workman on head
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Posted on 16th September 2019FATAL FALL FROM INSECURE SCAFFOLD LADDER
Scaffold erected by unqualified and incompetent person
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Posted on 16th September 2019FIRMS FAILED TO MONITOR SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK
Principal Contractor and specialist fined over fall through roof mesh
Posted on 12th September 2019
