Most construction firms in the country will not pass the scrutiny of inspections conducted by the Health and Safety Executive. Few construction companies may scrape through and most will fail. As many as two third of all construction companies have admitted that they might fail or barely pass the onsite inspection as per the provisions laid down by the Health and Safety Executive. The survey delved into the details and some alarming facts have emerged.

shortage of workers

Many companies stated that the shortage of workers with appropriate skills is the primary problem. Around forty percent of the workforce in the industry is adequately trained in health and safety. The rest do not have the requisite understanding of equipment. They are unaware of site compliance and lack the training to deal with accidents at the workplace. Around thirty six percent of the workforces have undergone the required staff training to deal with accidents at work.

Health and safety compliance

Health and safety compliance is a serious issue. The survey revealed only a third of the respondents were confident of passing a formal inspection by the HSE. Thirty six percent of large construction companies are very confident. Thirty percent of small to medium enterprises are certain they will pass the on the spot inspections. According to the statutes of the Health ; Safety at Work Act, all construction companies and building firms must keep accurate and updated records of all matters related to the health and safety of all their personnel. There should be relevant records of qualifications, training, equipment maintenance, site safety and reports of incidents. These should be made available immediately when an HSE inspector visits the site.

Inaccurate Records

More than thirty five percent of companies in the industry have admitted that their records are inaccurate and hence they are not in compliance with the Health ; Safety at Work Act. Nearly twenty percent of the firms are still recording data and filing the same without the use of automation. Also, there is limited digitisation in the sector as much of the recordkeeping is being done manually. Around thirty percent of the construction firms in the country that were surveyed said that they are not compliant as per the provisions of ISO 45001. This has been the standard for all management systems of occupational health and safety for over a year now. Some companies are not even aware of the standard and what it entails. A few companies do not know whether or not they are compliant.

Compliance

Legal experts say that companies cannot prove their compliance without meeting the prerequisites and ongoing demands of the standard. It shall be impossible for companies to convince HSE that they have a safe workplace without accurate records of all relevant data. Penalties and fines for non-compliance have become steeper. The HSE is investigating and identifying noncompliant companies throughout the country. It is imperative for the noncompliant firms to take timely measures. Not only should all records of complying with health and safety norms should be updated and accurately maintained, there is also a pressing need to get the likes of Pro Trainers UK involved so they can train the onsite staff and make the workplace safer.