Workplace Report April 2001

Features: Health & Safety

Advertising campaign pushes construction safety

Building workers are being urged to make safety their priority in an advertising campaign featuring in national newspapers by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following up the recent Construction Summit.

The campaign is aimed at individual workers on large sites as well as smaller jobs where they themselves are often in control of the risks. Anyone responding to the advertisement will receive a site health and safety checklist to urge action to improve safety in the industry.

The checklist identifies some of the hazards most commonly found on construction sites. These include ensuring:

* there are enough barriers and other edge protection to stop falls from roofs;

* that ladders are secured to prevent them slipping;

* the right plant and machinery is being used for the job; and,

* adequate personal protective equipment has been provided.

The checklist is in Health and safety in construction, ISBN 0 7176 1143 4, price £7.50, which can be ordered online at www.hsebooks.co.uk or from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, tel: 01787-881165 or fax: 01787-313995.