Acting on its much-trumpeted concern for the damage workers suffer to bones, nerves and skin due to careless use of tools and materials, the HSE undertook a Healthy Handling blitz in March.

Inspectors visited more than 1170 sites of all sizes looking for bad manual handling practices. They issued 214 enforcement notices, of which 112 concerned manual handling. The others referred mostly to failures to control risks of falls from height.

In a further 244 cases inspectors agreed a voluntary cessation of work until improvements were made.

They found sites using cement without proper facilities for washing, heavy loads being handled in an unsafe manner and vibrating tools being used when the user was unaware of the safe exposure period.

Kevin Myers, HSE Chief Inspector for Construction said: “Work-related ill health affects a significant number of construction workers. The sector has one of the highest rates of muscloskeletal disorder in the industry. Back problems, cement dermatitis and vibration white finger can ruin peoples’ lives and force them out of the industry.”

Source

Construction Manager

Postscript

For further information and guidance visit: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthyhandling/index.htm