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HSE health inspection initiative in construction webinar
17 November 2014
Health and Safety Executive
Health and Safety Executive
‘Think health’ – HSE
inspection initiative 2014
Ian Strudley
HM Principal Specialist Inspector
Head of Health Risk Management Unit
Construction Division
HSE
What I’ll do….
• Background
• Why is there a problem… in construction
• HSE targeting – what inspectors are and aren’t
looking at….
• Enforcement data from inspection initiative
• What’s next….. ?
Background
• HSE’s former Chief Inspector Heather Bryant :
“ We recognise the construction sector’s progress in reducing the number of people killed and injured by its activities. But it is clear from these figures why there is an unacceptable toll of ill-health and fatal disease in the industry. We will make sure the construction industry thinks health, as well as safety. “
Why is it a problem ?
Health and Safety at Work
etc. Act 1974
Why is it a problem ?
Health and Safety at Work
etc. Act 1974
Why is it a problem… in construction ?
Number of construction safety related fatalities
2013 / 14:
42
Accident v Ill Health Fatals
Burden of occupational cancer
Lesley Rushton et al
Imperial College
London:
http://www.nature.com/
bjc/journal/v107/n1s/index.html
What’s the problem … ?
• Occupational cancers = 5.3% of total
– 2005 deaths 8010
– 2004 registrations 13598
– 56% male registrations in construction
Where’s the problem – in construction
• Asbestos
• Solar radiation
• Silica
• Painters
• Diesel engine exhaust emissions
• PAHs – Coal tars / pitches
Where’s the problem in construction –
Not all fatal diseases, but…
• Lifting and Carrying
– Handling is most common over 7-
day injury in the industry.
– Skilled construction and building
trades have one the highest
estimated rates of back and upper
limb disorders
• Noise and Vibration
– Industry has one of the largest
number of new disablement benefit
claims cases.
HSE targeting…
• What are we looking at…..
• What aren’t we looking at…..
What do we need to do…..?
Need to refocus:
• ‘Treat health like safety’ – Managing health risks is no different to managing
safety risks
• ‘Ill health can be prevented’ – It is possible and practical to carry out construction
work without causing ill health
• ‘Everyone as a role to play’ – Everyone must take ownership of their part of the
process
What do we need to do .….?
Occupational Risks v Lifestyle Issues
What do we need to do …..?
Surveillance/Monitoring? Risk Control?
So, what do we do …..?
• ‘Control the risk not the symptoms’
– Monitoring and health surveillance are not enough
on their own. The first priority is to stop people
being harmed
• ‘Manage risk, not lifestyle’
– Helping workers tackle lifestyle issues may be
beneficial but is not a substitute for preventing work-
related ill health.
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
• Visits:
– Aimed to conduct 500
inspections during the two-
week period
– 570 sites visits with 896
contractors inspected.
– 839 inspections recorded.
2014 Health Inspection Initiative - topics
• Silica
2014 Health Inspection Initiative - topics
• Other hazardous substances
2014 Health Inspection Initiative - topics
• Manual handling
2014 Health Inspection Initiative - topics
• Noise and vibration
2014 Health Inspection Initiative - topics
• Welfare
2014 Health Inspection Initiative - topics
• Asbestos
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Enforcement
• Strong returns despite no specific enforcement
expectations:
– 13 PNs were served.
– 108 INs were served
– 267 NoCs were issued at 146 sites.
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Enforcement topics
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Conclusions
• Long latency disease effects of health issues means
fewer topics / appropriate situations for PNs compared to
immediacy of safety?
• INs and NoCs valuable enforcement tools for health?
• A perception of managing health risks well and going
beyond requirements by – e.g. wellbeing initiatives.
• Higher proportion of dust/ welfare enforcement
– More ‘visible’?
– A significant issue on most sites?
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Conclusions : dusts
• Most significant enforcement area but still an
improving picture:
• Contractors starting to look more at removing
risk or improving available controls.
• Risk awareness amongst larger contractors is
generally high but issues not necessarily
adequately controlled
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Conclusions : dusts
• Focus has moved on from silica to include other dusts.
• Much greater appreciation / use of extraction systems
but not always to the correct standard and dry
sweeping remains an issue.
• Reliance on RPE
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Conclusions : other substances
For example :
• Asbestos: missing surveys and
instruction / training.
• Lead: Roofing and old paint
• Dichloromethane / Solvents: e.g.
as a carpet adhesive.
• Dermatitis: Rendering, cement etc.
• Isocyanate products: Manually
applied rather than sprayed.
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Conclusions : noise and vibration
• General focus on management
arrangements rather than
specific controls
• Sites placing a lot of reliance
on monitoring / recording
vibration trigger time
• Reliance on hearing protection
for noise
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Conclusions : manual handling
• Broader discussions covering both management
arrangements and specific controls
• Earlier work on kerbs and paving seems embedded.
• More evidence of good practice. References made to MAC
tool, lifting solutions and designing out.
2014 Health Inspection Initiative
- Conclusions : manual handling
• There were some recurring problems:
– Heavy Plasterboard
– Heavy glazing / installation problems
What’s next……?
What’s next ?
So, in conclusion remember…..
Think Health!
– Greater focus on health, not just by HSE…
Thank you for participating
any questions ?
Ian Strudley
HM Principal Specialist Inspector
Head of Health Risk Management Unit
Construction Division
HSE
01256 404085
ian.strudley@hse.gsi.gov.uk
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