Sleeping on site 'health and safety risks'
April 1, 2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning of the fire safety risks of allowing workers to sleep on construction sites.
According to the watchdog, there are construction health and safety dangers when contractors set aside an area to be used for sleeping.
The warning comes after Asaad Al-Helu of Newland Avenue, Hull, was fined £1,000 when he pleaded guilty to two offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Mr Al-Helu, the principal contractor on a construction project in Hull, allowed five migrant Polish workers to sleep on the site, despite the premises containing large amounts of flammable material.
In addition, the workers were smoking and drinking, were using heaters and had no way of raising the alarm should a fire start.
John Rowe, HSE inspector, added: "Generally, standards of work and preparation on the site fell far short of the industry norm. The risks were foreseeable and straightforward to avoid."
Later this month, regional organisations in the north-east will join forces with the HSE to educate construction firms about health and safety issues such as working at height, asbestos and manual handling.
Find out more about Construction safety
According to the watchdog, there are construction health and safety dangers when contractors set aside an area to be used for sleeping.
The warning comes after Asaad Al-Helu of Newland Avenue, Hull, was fined £1,000 when he pleaded guilty to two offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Mr Al-Helu, the principal contractor on a construction project in Hull, allowed five migrant Polish workers to sleep on the site, despite the premises containing large amounts of flammable material.
In addition, the workers were smoking and drinking, were using heaters and had no way of raising the alarm should a fire start.
John Rowe, HSE inspector, added: "Generally, standards of work and preparation on the site fell far short of the industry norm. The risks were foreseeable and straightforward to avoid."
Later this month, regional organisations in the north-east will join forces with the HSE to educate construction firms about health and safety issues such as working at height, asbestos and manual handling.
Find out more about Construction safety
More Fire Safety news:
HSE warning on gas safety following prosecution - June 17, 2009Fines issued for school fire safety incident - May 8, 2009
Fine issues for fire safety incident - May 1, 2009
Firm fined after fireball - March 6, 2009
HSE inspects 100 Teesside businesses - February 13, 2009
