CONSTRUCTION AND TRADES
CONSTRUCTION AND TRADES
Managing health and safety across building, civil engineering and specialist trades
30+
workers are killed on UK construction sites every year.
Construction consistently accounts for the highest number of fatal injuries of any industry. Most deaths involve falls from height, being struck by moving vehicles or objects, and structural collapse.
Your legal framework
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 place duties on clients, designers and contractors. The Work at Height Regulations 2005, PUWER 1998 and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 all apply. For notifiable projects, a Principal Designer and Principal Contractor must be appointed.
The highest-consequence risks
Falls from height
The single largest cause of construction fatalities. Fragile roofs, unprotected edges, scaffold failures and unsafe ladders all feature in HSE investigations every year.
Struck by moving plant
Excavators, telehandlers and delivery vehicles operating near pedestrians. Segregation and trained banksmen are critical controls.
Collapse and structural failure
Excavation sides, temporary works and partially demolished structures all create collapse risk. Ground investigations and temporary works design are not optional.
Hazardous substances
Silica dust, asbestos, wood dust and chemical products cause long-term occupational disease. COSHH assessments are legally required for all substances in use.
Five priorities for every site
1
Plan before you start. A Construction Phase Plan is a legal requirement for notifiable projects. Pre-start planning prevents most serious incidents on any project.2
Control work at height rigorously. Hierarchy of control: eliminate, then collective protection, then personal protection. Never use a ladder where a scaffold or MEWP is practicable.3
Separate plant and pedestrian routes. Segregated routes, banksmen for reversing and site speed limits reduce vehicle-pedestrian risk to an acceptable level.4
Brief every worker on site-specific risks. Toolbox talks, inductions and method statements must reflect the actual risks on this site today, not generic templates.5
Appoint a competent safety adviser. CDM requires competence throughout the supply chain. An independent safety consultant satisfies the Reg. 7 appointment and provides project-specific support.
Did you know?
The HSE can issue a Prohibition Notice stopping all work on a construction site immediately if it believes there is a risk of serious personal injury. The cost of an unplanned shutdown, remediation and potential prosecution far exceeds the cost of getting it right first time.