Managing safely courses news: Roofing companies putting workers in danger

Category: IOSH Managing Safely
Monday 22nd of February 2010

Roofing companies have been warned over allowing their employees to work in unsafe conditions after the number of notices issued doubled in the last year.

The importance of managing safely courses may well be emphasised to employers as 69 enforcement orders were handed out to steeplejacks on Merseyside in 2009.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there are concerns that companies are trying to save money by allowing their staff to carry out duties without the necessary scaffolding and safety equipment in place.

Businesses have been asked to attend a special safety training day, or they will receive an unannounced visit from an inspector.

Neil Jamieson, a principal inspector for HSE in the north west, said that dozens of people are killed each year by falls from height in work and that number could continue to rise if firms do not accept the danger they are putting their staff in.

In 2008-09, 100 health and safety offences were prosecuted by the HSE and a further 66 were taken to court by the local authorities.

Posted by Sam Lowther

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