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A CAMPAIGN has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to help reduce the number of construction workers being affected by injuries which could have a devastating impact on their lives.
According to the latest figures published by the HSE, 40,000 constructions workers – including bricklayers and builders – are suffering injuries to muscles, bones, joints and nerves each year, which can leave them struggling to cope with day-to-day life and unable to work.
Throughout October and November, inspectors from the HSE will be carrying out 1,000 inspections, on sites up and down the UK, to ensure constructions workers know how to keep themselves safe.
In this blog, we’ll explain more about their campaign and the innovative ways in which Acorn Safety Services is working with some major clients to promote safety and well-being on site.
‘Employers should protect the health of their workers’
According to the HSE, thousands of construction workers are affected by injuries which in many cases develop over time, causing constant pain, problems walking and difficulties with everyday tasks like getting dressed.
Matt Birtles, principal ergonomist at HSE, said: “Serious aches, pains and strains can affect every part of someone’s life. They can struggle to get themselves dressed and undressed, they can be left unable to pick up their children or grandchildren.
“They can struggle to sit down or stand up, keep still or move around. The most intimate parts of their lives can be severely affected – they might be desperate to go the toilet but find themselves unable.
“It’s not something that many people feel comfortable talking about, perhaps particularly on a building site, but if your back has gone or if you’re in agony whenever you move your arms, measures need to be put in place to address the causes.”
As a result, the HSE will be carrying out inspections to ensure construction workers know how to move and lift heavy loads safely and that employers are fully aware of the guidelines.
The HSE’s Head of Construction Sarah Jardine added: “Everyone involved in construction has a role to play in keeping people safe. Risks must be managed where they can’t be prevented, and risk management arrangements must be reviewed frequently to ensure they are effective.”
This is where Acorn Safety Services can really help.
Acorn Safety Services: A trusted health and safety partner when we are needed most
Health and safety is an integral part of all our lives, but it can be difficult to know where to start.
At Acorn Safety Services, our team has decades of experience in the building industry, working with clients large and small to manage all their health and safety needs.
Among them is IB Vogts GmbH, the international company behind a major new solar farm park at Litchardon in Devon. Covering more than 150 acres, the park will feature 100,000 solar panels which will eventually create enough green energy to power 12,000 homes.
With work on the site now underway, staff from Acorn Safety Services are a constant and reassuring presence, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of workers by creating a compound, carrying out thorough risk assessments and by developing a traffic management system. Acorn is also providing Toolbox Talks – brief presentations on health and safety which are delivered to the team on-site and information to the contractors so they can perform their tasks and activities in a safe manner to protect themselves and others.
We are perfectly placed to support your business. Make sure you give us a call today.
For all your health and safety needs visit https://acornhealthandsafety.co.uk/ today or contact us at info@acornhealthandsafety.co.uk or on 01604 930380.
