HSE inspectors visited 22 sites and issued eight enforcement notices. Seven of these concerned people working unsafely at height, and a further one for poor site management.
The HSE is visiting 1,500 sites in a blitz on the refurbishment sector across the UK. In total, 1,500 construction sites are being targeted across the UK as part of the new campaign – including 200 in the North West.
There were 38 deaths in the refurbishment sector last year, representing 50% of all construction fatalities, even though it only represents 40% of all activity in the industry.
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HSE Inspector Tom Merry said: “It’s extremely disappointing that very basic health and safety precautions were not in place at nearly 40 per cent of the construction sites we visited in Oldham and Rochdale.
“None of the issues we had to deal with were unusual, and everybody in the industry should know what steps they need to take. People may think they can save time or money by ignoring the rules but it simply isn’t worth the risk.
The HSE is targeting construction sites in Rochdale, Oldham, Barrow, Kendal, Lancaster, Morecambe, Macclesfield, Knutsford, Crewe, Nantwich, Congleton, Chester, Warrington, Northwich, Ellesmere Port, Neston, Runcorn and Widnes in the North West.
In a similar initiative last year, 187 inspections were carried out in the North West, with enforcement action being taken in 103 cases. The HSE has warned that contractors putting workers at risk can once again expect strong enforcement action.
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1500 site visits in refurb safety blitz
