Safety blitz in south west shows safety in the area is improving but inspectors find many still ignore legal duties.
HSE inspectors conducting a blitz of small construction sites in the south west of England have found many duty holders are unaware of their legal safety responsibilities.
Although results showed safety in the area was improving, the blitz resulted in voluntary cessation of work at three sites over work at height issues. Inspectors claimed that many more sites posed safety risks to workers and others.
Construction inspector Charles Gilby said: “Many builders visited during the blitz were unaware of their legal duties. Those who were aware clearly decided to ignore the law, putting themselves, their workers and others at risk.”
However, Gilby added that the majority of builders were keen to attend health and safety training to increase their knowledge. The HSE has been working alongside Plymouth City Council to deliver free training to small companies.
