Over one in three construction sites visited by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors put the lives of workers at risk, warns the HSE’s chief executive, Geoffrey Podger.

The HSE carried out more than 1,000 spot checks of refurbishment sites across Britain during February, as part of its rolling inspection programme. It had previously reported that ten out of 11 construction sites inspected in Aberdeen had to stop working.

During the nationwide inspection programme, the HSE served 395 enforcement notices and stopped work on 30% of all sites.

Geoffrey Podger says the HSE will not tolerate negligence or poor safety standards, adding:

"We stopped work on site immediately during approximately 300 inspections because we felt there was a real possibility that life would be lost or ruined through serious injury. Our inspectors were appalled at the blatant disregard for basic health and safety precautions on refurbishment sites across Great Britain."

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