New  figures from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reveal that the UK construction industry could lose almost 200,000 EU workers post-Brexit should Britain lose access to the single market, putting some of the country’s biggest infrastructure and construction projects under threat.

RICS has cautioned that for Brexit to succeed, it is essential to secure continued access to the EU Single Market or to put alternative plans in place to safeguard the future of the property and construction sectors in the UK.

The UK is already in the grip of a construction skills crisis. While some overseas professionals, such as ballet dancers, are regarded as critical by the UK Government, and are therefore prioritised during the visa application process, construction professions have not yet been added to the ‘UK Shortage Occupations List’.

Latest RICS figures show that 8% of the UK’s construction workers are EU nationals, accounting for some 176,500 people. 30% of construction professionals surveyed revealed that hiring non-UK workers was important to the success of their businesses.

The UK is already in the grip of a construction skills crisis. While some overseas professionals, such as ballet dancers, are regarded as critical by the UK Government, and are therefore prioritised during the visa application process, construction professions have not yet been added to the ‘UK Shortage Occupations List’. RICS is warning that this could already be placing the UK’s predicted £500 billion infrastructure pipeline under threat and must be addressed as a priority.

When asked about the effectiveness of current plans to address the UK’s long-term skills shortages, 20% of respondents felt that apprenticeship schemes were not effective at all.

www.rics.org/uk

A Manchester building contractor and a company owner have appeared in court after a worker was seriously injured on a refurbishment site.

The 53-year-old father of two from Salford was employed as a labourer at the site of a refurbishment project at Manchester One, Portland Street Manchester when the incident occurred on 29 August 2014.

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and on 9 March 2017 Workspace Design and Build Ltd, the principal contractor for the project, and Paul Harrison former director of Access Flooring Specialist Ltd were prosecuted for serious safety failings.

Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how two operatives working for Access Flooring Specialist Ltd had started the demolition of a freestanding concrete block wall on the site using a demolition hammer.

One of the men had started to cut into the wall just above the half way point, when the second man took over and continued from the top using step ladders for access.  As he did so, the top half of the wall collapsed knocking him from the ladder and landing on top of him.

The injured person suffered fractures to his neck and back and spent three months in hospital following the incident. He has been unable to return to work since.

The HSE investigation found there was no suitable risk assessment in place for the work that was being carried out and the workers had not been provided with suitable work instructions for carrying out this task safely.

In addition to this no checks had been made regarding the injured workers training or experience, he was not provided with a site induction or adequate PPE for the task and the work on site was not being supervised.

Workspace Design and Build Ltd of Manchester One, Portland Street, Manchester pleaded guilty to breach of Regulation 22(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2972.

Paul Harrison of Kirkfell Drive, Tyldsley, Manchester pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 37 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 relating to his companies’ breach of Regulation 13 (2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and was fined £1300and ordered to pay costs of £2851

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Laura Moran said: “The risks associated with the demolition of the internal walls at Manchester One were not properly considered and, as a result, there was no safe system of work in place for the operatives to follow.

“Together with a lack of adequate supervision, these failings resulted in one man suffering serious and life changing injuries, which could have been prevented had the work been properly planned and managed.”

For more information about working safely at demolition sites visit:

www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/buildings.htm

Construction firm, Structural Metal Decks Limited, (SMDL) has been fined after a worker was left paralysed following an accident at a building site in Kilsyth.

The worker suffered injuries to his spinal cord and is now paralysed from the neck down following the incident.

Airdrie Sheriff Court heard how Structural Metal Decks Ltd had been sub-contracted to lay metal deck flooring by John Graham Construction Ltd who were building a new health centre in Kilsyth. On 22 April 2015, a scaffolder was moving scaffolding components when he stood on a section of decking which had been put in place by SMDL. The decking sheet gave way and the man fell more than four metres to the ground.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the metal deck sheets on the first level of the building had not been secured properly and the access to the first level of the decking was not adequately controlled allowing non-decking workers onto the deck.

Structural Metal Decks Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 3 (1) and 33 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and were fined £105,000.

Speaking after the verdict, HSE inspector Graeme McMinn said: “This is a tragic incident, which has had a devastating effect on a young man’s life. The accident could have been avoided if the Structural Metal Decks Ltd had taken appropriate safety precautions and ensured the decking sheets were properly secured.”

Construction company, Balfour Beatty, has been fined after flooring at a house-building development gave way, injuring a worker.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how a worker was on the first floor of a new build domestic property when the floor gave way at one side. The worker and approximately 70 building blocks slid 2.4 metres, vertically, to the ground. He suffered fractures to bones in his foot.

Balfour Beatty Regional Construction Limited (Balfour Beatty) was running the site at Richmond Park, Croft, Sheffield, where the incident occurred. The injured person was one of a three-man brick laying team instructed to work on the first floor of an incomplete property.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on 2 March 2015, found that the supporting joists of the first floor had not been fully installed as per the house designer’s instructions, leaving it unstable.

Balfour Beatty Regional Construction Limited of Wilton Road, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 28 (1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and was fined £230,000 and ordered to pay costs of £11,915.

HSE Inspector Alan Sheldon, said: “It is vital that companies following design instructions and ensure that structures are stable. This incident could have been much more serious for a number of workers and should act as a reminder to everyone within construction–that protecting workers’ health and safety is vital in such a potentially dangerous industry.”

An Oldham based building firm has been fined for exposing its workers to dangerous work at height.

An Inspector from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued an immediate Prohibition Notice ordering Select Quality Homes Ltd to stop work at a site at Newmarket Road, Ashton under Lyne until workers had protection against falling from height.

Manchester City Magistrates Court heard that an unannounced inspection took place in April 2015. During the visit the Inspector found that edge protection on the scaffolding was absent or inadequate in several places and as a result a prohibition notice was issued. Upon a return visit from HSE to the site the scaffolding was still inadequate.

The court also heard if Select Quality Homes Ltd had carried out their duty to plan, manage, and monitor the site properly, and subsequently followed the advice outlined by HSE’s Inspector, the defects in the scaffolding would have been resolved without the need for any formal enforcement action.

Select Quality Homes Ltd of Middleton Road, Chadderton, Oldham pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and was fined £6,600 and ordered to pay costs of £646.70.

 This could have been avoided if Select Quality Homes Ltd had taken simple steps to prevent people from falling, such as guard rails, mid rails and toe-boards

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector David Argument said “This could have been avoided if Select Quality Homes Ltd had taken simple steps to prevent people from falling, such as guard rails, mid rails and toe-boards.  Prohibition Notices are only served when an Inspector is concerned there is a risk of serious injury.  Failure to comply with these notices is a criminal offence and HSE will take robust action when dutyholders do not take action to control serious risk”.

For further information on working at height please visit: www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm