The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is carrying out a series of unannounced inspections at construction sites across Manchester city centre this week.
Twelve inspectors will visit sites this week to check how well health and safety risks are being managed, with a particular focus on asbestos, musculoskeletal disorders, noise, health surveillance, and dust.
The Manchester operation is part of 14,000 inspections planned across the UK during the current financial year, with around 8,000 specifically targeting health-related risks.
HSE Principal Inspector Kevin Jones said: “We’ll be checking that businesses have the right measures in place to ensure health risks are being managed and that workers are being kept safe. Manchester is home to some of the biggest construction projects in the country; however, sites of all sizes will be inspected.
By its nature, construction is a high-hazard industry. It can be noisy and dusty, with people often working at height and around heavy machinery and vehicles.”
Focus on health risks
The construction sector continues to experience higher-than-average rates of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, according to the HSE.
Previous inspections revealed that three-quarters of noisy workplaces lacked a proper understanding of how to maintain hearing protection. Workers in skilled trades also face increased risks of disturbing asbestos when working on properties built before 2000.
Jones added: “These inspections are really important in HSE’s mission to protect people at work. As well as checking on companies, we want to work with them, explaining what they should be doing to get everything right.
We hope that our presence in the city next week will reassure both the public and those working in the industry that we will do all we can to ensure people go home safely at the end of the day.”
HSE said it expects to see “good control measures” in place and urged employers to keep worker health and safety at the top of their agenda.
Further guidance for employers on managing workplace risks is available on the HSE website.
