The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, has launched a new campaign that seeks to reduce the number of injuries suffered by tradespeople while working on construction sites.
Despite the law requiring employers to prevent the ill health of their workers, which includes injuries to muscles, bones, joints, and nerves that can develop over time, recent figures show around 40,000 people in construction suffer a musculoskeletal disorder every year.
Beyond being unable to carry out work, these injuries can have a long-term impact on the individual’s daily life.
In an effort to reduce this number, HSE inspectors will be carrying out 1,000 on-site inspections throughout October and November, checking how workers are moving heavy or bulky materials.
Any moving and handling risks should be considered, and preventative measures put in place prior to construction starting. Once on-site and before work starts, employers should brief workers about controlling existing risks, ensuring that the right training, aids and equipment are offered to prevent injuries.
Lawrence Webb, President-Elect, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) said: “Musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, are one of the most widely-reported work-related health conditions. They have a huge impact on the lives of many people around the world, impairing their ability to work and their overall quality of life. Employers have a legal duty to protect their workers and this includes putting measures in place to prevent MSDs.
“There are simple steps they can take to achieve this. Simply assessing moving and handling tasks to identify the risks, and then either eliminating the hazard at source or implementing controls that reduce the risk, will have a lasting benefit on the lives of construction workers, organisations and communities.”
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 unable to pick up their children or grandchildren.
“They can struggle to sit down and stand up, they can struggle to keep still and move around. The most intimate parts of their lives can be severely affected – they might be desperate to go to 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.”
HSE provides employers with a tool that can be used to assess the risks of their workers. This can be found here.