Reduction of Construction Accidents Accredited to HSE Scheme

10th March 2014

Despite the controversy surrounding the HSE’s Fee for Intervention scheme, it has been noted that since its inception, there has been a definite decrease of the occurrence of accidents in the construction industry.

Building companies have a duty of care for employees, to ensure that all site activity remains safe with adequate and on-going risk assessment, safety measures and supervision. For most, this has been and always must be a priority on-site, but occasionally we do receive a stark reminder of our obligations as an industry to that duty of care.

Earlier this month, it was reported that 25-year old Welsh construction worker, Daniel Thorley received a spinal injury following a fall through a roof whilst assisting a colleague with emergency waterproofing which resulted in extensive rehabilitation and the loss of a years’ work. Following a HSE investigation, Blackflair Ltd of Cardiff was found to be guilty of failing to provide adequate duty of care for their employee. The company were fined £7,000 plus costs for breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

In the construction industry, a duty of care must be maintained by building companies, with regulatory risk assessment and supervision. Since the HSE introduced the Fee for Intervention scheme in 2012 and in spite of the increase in construction activity, the overall occurrence of on-site accidents has fallen by 17%.

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