Construction Division Newsletter for July 2010 as supplied by Debbie Flynn (HSE)

1. HSE Construction Division Scotland, Yorkshire & North East Unit
Head of Operations : J Reuben
NEWCASTLE CONSTRUCTION DIVISION NEWSLETTER
JULY 2010 - ISSUE NO.10
Fewer construction workers killed in past year
New figures for the number of workers who were fatally injured in the construction industry have
recently been released. They show that between 1st April 2009 and 31st March 2010, 41
construction workers were killed at work, compared to an average of 66 workers in the past five
years - a fall of 37 per cent below this average. Further information can be found at:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm
HSE Construction Division Plan of Work 2010-11
A summary of the HSE Construction Division's Plan of Work for 2010-11 has been published. It
sets out what the construction industry can expect from HSE Inspectors over the coming year -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/work-plan-2010-11.pdf?ebul=cons/jun10&cr=1
HSE's main operational activities will target the following sectors:
Asbestos removal licence holders (inspection of licensed work)
Small sites
Refurbishment
Homebuild
Major projects
Five issues will be considered at all site visits. These are:
Provision of welfare facilities -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/welfare.htm?ebul=cons/jun10&cr=2
Site transport -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/vehiclestrafficmanagement.htm?ebul=cons/jun10&
cr=3
Work at height -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/workingatheight.htm?ebul=cons/jun10&cr=4
Asbestos risks -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthtopics/asbestos.htm?ebul=cons/jun10&cr=5
Good order -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/campaigns/fallstrips/goodorder.htm?ebul=cons/jun10&cr=6
HSE will also address matters of evident concern or potential major concern identified during
site visits, with inspectors taking strong enforcement action where people choose to ignore
their duties and responsibilities.
As well as considering the five generic issues, HSE are also tackling:
Leadership CDM Dutyholders
Local Authority as Client Contractor Competence
Temporary Works Fire
Respiratory Risks Manual Handling
Worker Involvement Lifting (tower and mobile cranes)
Roofwork
This note has been prepared by HSE Construction Division Newcastle upon Tyne to assist those involved with construction projects. If
you wish to discuss the contents or unsubscribe please contact Construction Administration Newcastle, Arden House, Regent Centre,
Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3JN
(0191) 202 6250 or e-mail construction.newcastle.area19@hse.gsi.gov.uk

2. HSE Construction Division Scotland, Yorkshire & North East Unit
Head of Operations : J Reuben
NEWCASTLE CONSTRUCTION DIVISION NEWSLETTER
JULY 2010 – ISSUE NO.10
New Information Sheets – What you need to know as a busy builder
There are some new, simple and straightforward information sheets for those who run small
construction sites. The information sheets show real examples of good and unacceptable practice
on site:
Running a small site – http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/site1.pdf
Manual handling – http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/site2.pdf
Roof work – http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/site3.pdf
Welfare – http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/site4.pdf
WAIT!
If you need to occasionally work at height and aren’t sure about which access equipment to use,
the Work at height Access equipment Information Toolkit will help you select the correct access
equipment for the job. It gives users practical advice and guidance on the factors to consider when
selecting access equipment for planned work at height. It also gives guidance on how to work at
height safely, plus useful information on some of the different types of access equipment available.
The WAIT tool can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/wait/wait-tool.htm
Do your bit!
Workplaces where employees play an active part in health and safety have lower accident rates.
In many cases, this also leads to increased productivity, efficiency and quality. HSE, in association
with Premier Partnership, are offering IOSH accredited health and safety training courses to help
companies achieve the potential benefits associated with a collaborative approach to health and
safety at work. HSE is paying 75 per cent toward the cost of the training. To find out more about
this unique offer visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/doyourbit/index.htm
Telehandler Warning
Following a recent fatal accident in Scotland, HSE is warning all users of telehandlers of the danger
of not replacing broken windows on these machines. A Safety Alert was issued after a 36 year old
man was killed whilst operating a telehandler. It is suspected that the man was leaning thruogh the
broken right side window aperture, when he was crushed and fatally injured by the descending
boom. The Safety Alert can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/telehandlers.htm
MEWPs – Entrapment
More people die from falls at work than from any other cause. The use of
mobile elevating work platforms/powered access equipment has been a
major factor in the reduction of falls accidents. For temporary work at height
this kind of equipment is often the safest solution. However, there are
currently under investigation a number of fatal and serious accidents where
operators have become trapped between the guardrails or other equipment
on the platform, and adjacent obstructions. The Construction Plant-hire
Association has produced new guidance for anyone engaged in the supply
or use of MEWPs. The guidance can be found here:
http://www.cpa.uk.net/p/MEWPS-and-Overhead-Crushing/
This note has been prepared by HSE Construction Division Newcastle upon Tyne to assist those involved with construction projects. If
you wish to discuss the contents or unsubscribe please contact Construction Administration Newcastle, Arden House, Regent Centre,
Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3JN
(0191) 202 6250 or e-mail construction.newcastle.area19@hse.gsi.gov.uk

3. HSE Construction Division Scotland, Yorkshire & North East Unit
Head of Operations : J Reuben
NEWCASTLE CONSTRUCTION DIVISION NEWSLETTER
JULY 2010 – ISSUE NO.10
The Lighthouse Club
The Lighthouse Club – the construction industry’s charity which provides support for construction
workers and their families – is looking for people who would be interested in helping to resurrect
the North East Branch of the Lighthouse Club. Since Whitley Bay is where the Lighthouse Club
was originally founded over 50 years ago it would be sacrilege to lose this Branch. Further
information can be found on their website - http://www.lighthouseclub.org/
Recent Prosecutions
(1) A building firm has been fined £4,500 after refurbishment work triggered the temporary
closure of country club near Darlington over fears of exposure to asbestos. The company was
found guilty at Darlington Magistrates’ Court, in its absence, of breaching Regulations 5, 11 and 16
of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, between 7 January and 6 March 2008.
When HSE inspectors visited the site, they found that work was carried out without adequate
checks for asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, and served a Prohibition Notice -
immediately stopping construction work. Further investigations found large amounts of asbestos
pipe lagging in walls and floor voids where work had been undertaken. HSE worked with local
Environmental Health Officers and the hotel management to ensure that asbestos fibres had not
spread to the occupied areas of the hotel. The hotel was voluntarily closed while tests were
undertaken. Fortunately the test results in the public areas were negative.
(2) A building firm has been fined £5,000 and
ordered to pay costs of £3,178 at Darlington
Magistrates Court after it pleaded guilty to a
breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974.
The Court heard that a worker was laying pipes in
a trench when the wall collapsed, trapping him and
causing bruising to his lower legs and
hypothermia. An investigation by HSE showed
that the driver of the excavator had not received
suitable training in its use. Industry guidance,
which recommends providing shoring or trench
boxes, should have been followed.
(3) A construction company from Gateshead has been fined £4,500 after one of its workers
was seriously injured when a forklift truck telehandler he was operating overturned at a site in
Sandhoe, near Corbridge on 16 July 2008.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974 at Tynedale Magistrates’ Court in Hexham. The court heard that the injured person – who
was not trained to use the machine and was not wearing a seatbelt when the incident happened -
was lifting roof trusses onto the roof of the development when the forklift truck telehandler that he
was operating overturned and fell onto its side throwing him against the machine’s window and
controls. He suffered multiple fractures to his arm leaving him with limited mobility in his shoulder.
This note has been prepared by HSE Construction Division Newcastle upon Tyne to assist those involved with construction projects. If
you wish to discuss the contents or unsubscribe please contact Construction Administration Newcastle, Arden House, Regent Centre,
Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3JN
(0191) 202 6250 or e-mail construction.newcastle.area19@hse.gsi.gov.uk