HSE often attends sites which have been reported as dangerous by members of the public. In fact, we hear of these visits quite regularly and they can be as a result of genuine concerns or perhaps as a result of noise, dust and other disturbances causes nuisance to neighbours.
The case below relates to a North London site at which safety management and edge protection were sadly lacking. Malik Contractors and Engineers Ltd were fined a total of £52,000 plus £4,415 costs after pleading guilty under Reg 13(1) of The Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015.
In response to concerns from members of the public HSE carried out three separate inspections and each time found numerous breaches of health and safety legislation. These included electrical systems, unsafe work at height and no fire detection of fire fighting equipment despite workers sleeping on site.
HSE inspector David King commented:
“This case highlights the importance complying with enforcement action. Duty holders have the responsibility to provide their workers with appropriate training and equipment so they can work safely. In this case Malik Contractors failed to do so.
It is essential those responsible for construction work understand they are also responsible for the health and safety of those on and around the construction site, and ensure
suitable and sufficient arrangements are in place to plan.”
Guidance on protecting the public from construction risks
The project client should provide information about:
- boundaries
- adjacent land usage
- access; and
- measures to exclude unauthorized persons
This will influence the measures contractors take.
Key issues are:
- Managing site access
- Hazards causing risk to the public
- Vulnerable groups
Check out the HSE guidance page for more information on public safety with construction sites and contact us on 01453 800100 if you need help and advice on protecting the public at your construction site.
