Health and Safety Executive

Health and Safety Executive

Encouraging improvement in the

management of health risks in the

construction industry

Ian Strudley

Head of Health Risk Management Unit

HSE Construction Sector

Anything new ?

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

One death is too many – inquiry …….

Recommendation 20.

• While this was outside the scope of the Inquiry, Occupational Health remains a serious problem in the construction industry with thousands of workers dying every year. I recommend that renewed efforts should be made to tackle this issue.

To introduce the paper :

• What’s the problem ?.......... then :

• What HSE are doing…. – CONIAC Health Risks Working Group– Supply chain work– Research– COHME– Key Health risk activities

What’s the problem - Safety…..

• 2009-10 42 workers killed at work in construction ( total 152)

• 2008-9 53 workers killed at work in construction ( total 180)

• 2007-8 72 workers killed at work in construction ( total 233)

• 2009-10 0.6 million working days lost due to workplace injury

What’s the problem…..and Health

• 2008 2249 mesothelioma deaths

• estimated 4000 deaths per year from asbestos related disease

• >500 silica cancer deaths per year

• >50% of all occupational cancers

• 2009-10 2.6 million days lost to work-related ill-health (= 0.77 days per worker)

Ill health – Construction vs others

What are we doing….. Supply chain

– handling of kerbs and paving– handling of heavy blocks– silica exposure from kerb and paving

cutting– HAV from portable vibrating tools– handling of plasterboard

– more to be added ??

Handling Heavy Kerbs

• Manual lifting picture vs mechanical lifting picture

[picture omitted]

Control of silica exposure during cutting operations – dry cutting picture vs use of water suppression picture

Picture omitted

What are we doing…..COHME

What are we doing…..CONIAC Health Risks Working Group

• Leading example of working with others in partnership in helping ‘create healthier safer workplaces’

• 2nd meeting held on 2 November

• Initial business objective : define scope of ‘Occupational Health’

What are we doing…..specific health risk activities

• Hazardous substance research

• Dust / respiratory risks campaign

• Asbestos

• Manual handling

• Welfare

• Other emerging / re-emerging issues

What more can we do

?

Thank you for listening

Ian Strudley

HM Principal Specialist Inspector

Health Risk Management Unit

Construction Division

HSE

01256 404085

07798 882185

ian.strudley@hse.gsi.gov.uk