Offshore advice
Revised guidance designed to increase offshore workforce involvement in improving health and safety has been published by the workforce involvement group of the Offshore Industry Advisory Committee of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Play Your Part! How offshore workers can help improve health and safety was first published in 1996, and is available from HSE Books (01787 881165).
Sites closed after blitz
An inspection blitz of 1,000 building sites by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) during February found that one in three were putting the lives of workers at risk. A total of 395 enforcement notices were served, and work was stopped on one-third of sites.
Casual dangers
Construction union Ucatt has warned of the dangers of growing casualisation on construction sites after four workers in Belfast were seriously injured in March when scaffolding collapsed during work on the city’s courts. It was the second major accident in three weeks, and four workers have been killed since January, Ucatt said.
Get board in on safety
Effective health and safety comes from changing behaviour in the boardroom, the chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said. Geoffrey Podger, speaking at a conference of the American Society of Safety Engineers, said it was imperative to create a no-blame culture, where “all managers and staff know that safety is being taken seriously. Staff must see and hear the right messages, with the right tone and level of commitment,” he said.
