Safety Signs News

Basement construction safety inspections 'may focus on signage'

9th November 2011 | Warning Signs

Posted by Ben Alexander

A series of inspections on basement construction sites across four London boroughs will be looking for safety signs and other measures designed to reduce the risk to workers and the public.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be conducting the inspections, which will focus on the risks presented by open excavations, as well as collapses and heavy lifting injuries.

Andrew Beal, principal inspector for City and South West London construction at the HSE, said that every year workers are injured and killed working on basement conversions.

He said: "While some sectors of the construction industry have made real improvements in recent years, we are still concerned about standards in basement construction."

Mr Beal warned that those sites exercising poor practice or putting lives at risk will be acted against, which could include site closures and prosecutions.

Earlier this month, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health praised British Gas' road safety programme as an excellent initiative that cut incidents by 30 per cent, potentially leading other firms to invest in safety signage measures. ADNFCR-2754-ID-800790697-ADNFCR