It was reported mid March by a leaked letter to the BBC that the HSE planned to cut by a third the inspections undertaken on entire sectors of the industry which are known as a "significant risk.”
Chief executive Geoffrey Podger proposed a reduction in what the HSE calls "proactive inspections." Mr Podger felt that it was necessary to scale back on traditional face-to-face meetings and instead concentrate on web-based initiatives (File on 4 on BBC Radio 4, Danger at Work, 08/03/2011).
The leaked letter was a blueprint of the proposed changes to HSE operations in the light of a 35% cut to its government grant. The letter identified three high hazard sectors including the nuclear, offshore and chemical industries which were to be ring-fenced from the proposed cuts. It also stated that some other industries will still remain subject to unannounced visits, but these were not identified at the time of the leak (Safety Signs Supplies, 09/03/2011).
The cuts faced by the organisation lead to concerns for workplace safety and the protection of employees especially in the construction industry (File on 4 on BBC Radio 4, Danger at Work, 08/03/2011). Concerns were expressed among health and safety campaigners and industry representatives, but a reliable source from the HSE has told Turner Access Ltd (Specialists in Access & Scaffolding) that the construction industry will not be hit by the proposed cuts.
The HSE have not released an official statement yet but according to a reliable source from the organisation the reduction in inspections is directed towards those that are potentially deemed as "non major risk activities" and as Construction is deemed as a major risk activity there are to be no reduction in the inspections in this sector. The leak in March, which was broadcast by the BBC’s file on four, sparked debates and reminded the construction industry why there is a need for unannounced inspections from the HSE on construction sites.
Falls from Height- The devastating effects
The families of some of those seriously injured and killed in workplace accidents say too many employers are still getting off lightly even after they have been found responsible for serious breaches of health and safety legislation. Recently, a worker suffered severe brain damage after a construction accident, resulting in huge fines for two building firms.
“A 7lb (3.7kg) pole was used to measure the shaft when a line holding it - made of either plastic or piano wire - broke and it fell to the shaft pit” (Evening Post, 08/03/2011). The unsafe and misuse of scaffolding meant the worker plummeted to the ground and after having part of his scull removed, the worker now needs 24-hour care for the rest of his life.
The accident completely changed the lives of Mr Chodkiewicz and his family and the family have since received counselling. Prosecuting on behalf of the health and safety executive, Dale Collins said: "This has had a devastating effect on Mr Chodkiewicz and also his five children and grandchildren. He now requires 24-hour care and is unable to work," (Evening Post, 08/03/2011).
The outcome of the case uncovered that the defendants: had failed to provide adequate risk assessments; did not identify hazards; allowed the use of the piece of scaffolding which was not standard equipment checked by a competent person and was improvised; had provided inadequate site management and supervision, and there was inadequate protection against people or objects falling (Evening Post, 08/03/2011). Due to the insufficient risk assessments undertaken, openings had been left unguarded and at risk of falling objects. The defendant’s lawyer expressed that "The offence was not a deliberate breach of the law. It was not reckless, but careless," (Evening Post, 08/03/2011).
The high levels of breaches of safety laws in construction was recently revealed following countless inspections of construction sites in Merseyside in February 2011, which found 1 in 4 of the sites visited to be unsafe. “Similar intensive inspections in other parts of the country have in the past found safety failings on 80% of the sites visited,” (Build.co.uk, 10/03/2011).
Alan Ritchie, the General Secretary of UCATT, feels strongly about cracking down on safety in the construction industry. He stated when the cuts were announced: "These cuts will kill. In construction large numbers of employers simply ignore safety laws. The only thing which compels them to keep workers safe is the fear of a knock on the door from the HSE. If you remove that deterrent deaths will increase.” (UCATT, 10/03/2011).
Apart from inspections, who and what is truly making a difference to the construction industry?
Due to unsafe practice and the utilisation of unsafe equipment in the construction industry, causing fatalities and injuries such as the Mr Chodkiewicz’s case, there is an increasing demand for modern and innovative products which provide the safest methods when working at height. Turner Access ltd (Part of Turner Group) have gained recognition for such products and services through: award wins (most recently winning Best achievement in Construction at the SHP IOSH awards 2010); commendations by many clients and reputable firms; and collaboration with the HSE resulting in Turner Access being asked to produce detailed guidance for Scaffold erection, dismantling and alteration (collective protection/ fall prevention).
Turner Access are pioneers of safety and innovation in the construction industry and provide safer methods for working at height through the comapny’s distinct equipment, preventing potentially life altering falls from height across a wide variety of workplaces. Products include the unique patented advanced guardrail for aluminium towers called the BetaGuard®, a range of fully guardrailed low level access and the popular external advanced guardrail called PlusGard®.
The HSE’s research on the industry has uncovered two conflicting opinions which they must tackle and provide solutions for both sides. Firstly, the HSE realise that “most of deaths [deaths occurred from working at height] resulted from utterly predictable and preventable causes,” Furthermore, the HSE realise the associated moral and financial costs of these were immense (HSE House of Lords Debate, 13/07/2011).
Demonstrating the other side of the argument is an extract from HSE’s document entitled “Health and safety - sensible management or bureaucratic strait jacket?” The organisation points out that excessive risk aversion has its costs too:
“Where organisations feel that they must fill out pages of risk assessments before undertaking even simple, low risk tasks, they become mired in bureaucracy. That stands to damage their competitiveness and ability to innovate”
“At its worst excessive risk-aversion can also curb our personal freedoms and opportunities. Children, in particular need to learn how to manage risks and adventure activities such as rock climbing, sailing and canoeing are an ideal way of doing this. And if rules were imposed which made it more difficult for children to swim, then surely the net result will be fewer children able to swim and more at greater risk in later life. All good reasons why we should be concerned about excessive risk aversion.”
Turner Access Ltd products utilise advanced technologies and processes to overcome the abovementioned ‘predictable and preventable’ accidents. These products are cost-effective and easy to use. At the same time the products provide freedom for operatives to carry out their own specific work at a height but in a safe and low risk manner.
Turner Access manufacture, hire and sell a range of collective protection (fall prevention) equipment. Many lives could be saved each year yet many working in the construction industry still put a value on protecting workers lives rather than opting to use fall prevention equipment or collective protection measures.
The continued need for HSE Inspections and Fall Prevention
HSE inspectors and their counterparts in local authority environmental health departments carry out thousands of visits to business premises each year. The unannounced "knock on the door" has traditionally formed a key aspect of the HSE's approach to regulation, and is credited with helping to prevent accidents and reduce the number of workplace deaths, which currently stand at an all-time low (BBC News, 08/03/2011).
Following the recent first conviction and massive fine under new Corporate Manslaughter legislation, the UK's health and safety regime has been hailed a success. Falling death and accident rates appear to confirm an improving trend (File on 4 on BBC Radio 4, Danger at Work, 08/03/2011).
Dr Courtney Davis of Sussex University reviewed the worldwide evidence for the value of proactive inspections. She believes that any reduction is likely to have a detrimental impact on worker safety (File on 4 on BBC Radio 4, Danger at Work, 08/03/2011):
"The most robust studies show that inspection plus enforcement are associated with a decline in injury rates of 22% for the following three years."
"The evidence relating to new, soft interventions is much weaker, and almost non-existent. It doesn't appear to be the case that these alternatives are effective in improving compliance with health and safety law or injury rates."
"The estimated number of working days lost due to workplace injuries and ill-health is now the lowest it has ever been in Britain."
With many advocates and in depth research suggesting inspections are crucial should there be cuts in inspections for any of the sector? Mr Ritchie from the UCATT is in agreement, "While the leaked letter will focus much of the attention on the HSE, we must remember that the real villains are the Government. Cutting the HSE's budget by over a third shows that they have never worked in a dangerous workplace and simply don’t care about workers safety" (UCATT, 10/03/2011).
How much is a workers life worth?
The BBC asked the question “Is safety at work really improving?” (Danger At Work Transcript, 08/03/2011). Unsafe practice and using unsafe equipment is not an option in the contracts division at Turner Access and workers lives’ are taken very seriously, with the aim to prevent any fall from height. Organisations have the opportunity to use innovative and safe products (from companies such as Turner Access), products which save lives on a daily basis, however some organisations still chose risky methods of working at height, use unsafe equipment and cut corners on projects. All of which put the lives of workers at risk.
References:
File on 4 on BBC Radio 4, Danger at Work, “No Checks at ‘Risky’ workplaces”, 08/03/2011
BBC News, “Leaked HSE letter shows safety checks at risk from cuts” Gail Champion, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12621073, 08/03/2011
Build.co.uk, “HSE Cut To Inspections Will Lead To Increase In Deaths And Injuries”, http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=124033, 10/03/2011
HSE, “Health and safety - sensible management or bureaucratic strait jacket?” http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/billcallaghan2.pdf, House of Lords, Bill Callaghan, HSC Chair, 13/07/2011
Evening Post, “Worker suffered brain injury as scaffold fell at Radisson Blu hotel in Bristol”, http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Worker-suffered-brain-injury-scaffold-fell/article-3303942-detail/article.html, Dominic Harris D.Harris, 08/03/2011
The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT), “HSE Cut To Inspections Will Lead to Increase in Deaths and Injuries” Richard Chodkiewicz, 10/03/11
Safety Signs Supplies, “HSE plans to cut construction site visits by a third”, http://www.safetysignsupplies.co.uk/news/hse-plans-to-cut-construction-site-visits-by-a-third~800451082.html, Ben Alexander, 09/03/2011
File On 4, Danger At Work Transcript, UK's first corporate manslaughter conviction, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/08_03_11_fo4_danger.pdf, Morland Sanders, Programme No 11VQ4872LHO, 08/03/2011
