The warning comes from HBXL, the building software specialist company, on the back of the HSE’s latest crackdown which is targeting specifically the refurbishment sector during September.
The major inspection and enforcement initiative involves HSE inspectors making unannounced site visits where they will look at the main causes of accidents and ill-health including falls from height, structural stability, site good order, asbestos, respirable silica and welfare.
It means all paperwork and health and safety obligations have to be right up to date in order to satisfy the legal obligations required.
Fortunately those wanting to comply and avoid a business busting fine can turn to HBXL’s Health & Safety Xpert software. Encouraging a more active approach to health and safety it is already used by thousands of builders across the country.
Joanna Mulgrew of HBXL said: “The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has maintained quite a robust inspection initiative so building firms have to keep a constant vigilance on its health and safety obligations.
“You only have to look at the HSE’s website and see the level of fines imposed on non-compliant firms to realise how serious the HSE is taking this.
“And because the inspections are unannounced makes it even more imperative to be up-to-date.”
Simplifying the process of producing the right documents all users have to do is tell the software what they are building and it will present the hazards, suggest control measures to put in place and produce the paperwork accordingly.
It saves builders huge amounts of time, quickly guiding them through the crucial paper work that’s required under current UK law, including the Health & Safety At Work Act 1974, Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations 2007, The Contractors Health & Safetly Assessment Scheme (CHAS) and provides Method Statements.
Jo added: “All building firms have a duty of care to keep their employees and the public safe on site and non-compliance can attract massive fines as well as facing site shut down, criminal prosecutions and in some cases prison sentences if we were proved to be negligible.
“There’s no doubt that the level of documentation and attention to detail on all things related to health and safety has increased but it’s for a very good reason.
“Anyone working on any building site should look out for hazards and take time to control the risks as best they can. Health & Safety Xpert goes a long way to help manage such risks and help reduce the number of accidents.”
For further information on Health & Safety Xpert or any HBXL product please call T: 0845 1234 065 or visit the web site www.hbxl.co.uk
