One in three construction sites had unacceptable health and safety standards

Up to a third of the construction sites visited in the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) had unacceptable health and safety standards, according to the body.

Inspectors served 395 enforcement notices and stopped work on 30 per cent of the sites checked in over 1,000 spot checks carried out in February by the HSE.

Rosi Edwards, head of operations for HSE's regional construction division, said: "It is totally unacceptable that so many lives have been put at risk and we will take all action necessary to protect workers, including closing sites and prosecuting those responsible."

She added that companies in the construction industry should do more to tackle poor health and safety standards on sites.

In the west midlands region 19 of the 135 sites visited during one month were issued with Prohibition Notices, 14 of these for breaching regulations on working at height or good order.

According to the body, last year over half of the workers who died on construction sites worked in refurbishment, and the number of deaths on refurbishment sites rose by 61 per cent.

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