Construction sites can be deadly. This is why health and safety is so important within the industry. The CCNSG Safety Passport is one way that you can ensure all workers on your site are aware of the dangers and the part they play in their own safety and the safety of others. Sadly, many serious injuries and fatalities still occur within the construction industry. Often these accidents could have been completely avoided had the right safety measures been taken and appropriate training had been offered to the injured party. A company has been prosecuted this week at the Sevenoaks Magistrates Court that highlights this problem.
Lack of Training and Planning Resulted in Accident
A worker was dismantling scaffolding while working for Paramount Scaffolding in January 2012. While he worked on the low scaffolding platform he lost his footing and fell two and a half metres to the floor. He was seriously injured suffering with severe head injuries that required the frontal lobe of his brain to be removed.
The worker had to spend many weeks in hospital and is not likely to be able to return to work again. The employers had not provided the injured man with adequate training on how to safely dismantle the scaffolding. They also had not planned out the work at height and therefore the risks were not addressed with a safe working system.
The employer, Mr Jessup, who was prosecuted, was also a close friend of the injured man and now he has to live with the guilt of causing life changing injuries to his friend. The employer was also fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 along with the company after they both pleaded guilty to breaching a regulation in the Work at Height Regulations.
Train to Comply with the Law
Basic health and safety training is essential. There are also many excellent training courses that provide more in-depth training within construction & engineering. The skills that are provided will not only help you to meet your legal duties, they will also help you to avoid suffering with the terrible guilt that follows ruining someone's life.
Related Courses
- Working at Height courses
- NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction Certificate
- NEBOSH International Construction Certificate
- Construction NVQ
- CDM courses
- Contractor Management
- Construction and engineering courses
- Contractor Management course
- Asbestos courses
- Abrasive wheel courses
- NVQ Health and Safety
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- Planning health and safety on the construction site