At the request of HSQE Manager, a health and safety inspection of company name (Principal Contractor) worksite at location, including welfare facilities, was carried out on the afternoon of 8th June 2011. The purpose of the inspection was to highlight areas of good working practice and to identify hazards and breaches in current health and safety legislation. The inspection was carried out by HSE Advisor. At the time of the inspection there was 1 x supervisor present and 8 x employees, this site is spread over a ½ mile radius that encompasses small sections of operational railway. The works taking place include cable containment and installation of cable containment bridging which required small excavations using hand tools; there was also the intermittent use of an abrasive wheel which was used to cut concrete troughs.
SUMMARY
Numerous hazards have been identified within the worksite, some of which require immediate action, as they are in breach of current health and safety legislation and provide unsafe working conditions for employees, sub-contractors, visitors and other organizations that wish to transit through the site. If the issues raised in this report are ignored, there is the possibility that a serious accident could occur with the potential to generate prosecutions followed by substantial fines and or possible imprisonment of up to 2 years as identified in the “Health and Safety etc Act 1974 Section 33”
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
1. Transport Management and Control
The worksite had a number of access roads through the worksite that were being used on a frequent basis by employees and other Organizations. Upon inspection it was noted that the traffic management controls were inadequate. This was due to ineffective traffic control signage and management. When other organizations were accessing the site, there was no direction given as to what action is required i.e. to sign in/out, traffic