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Refurb sector 'unacceptable' on safety
Around 300 sites were shut down during a Health and Safety Executive February blitz on over 1,000 refurbishment sites around Great Britain. 'Over one in three construction sites visited put the lives of workers at risk and operated so far below the acceptable standard that our inspectors served 395 enforcement notices and stopped work on 30 per cent of the sites,' said HSE chief executive Geoffrey Podger. 'We stopped work on site immediately during approximately 300 inspections because we felt there was a real possibility that life would be lost or ruined through serious injury.' He said HSE inspectors 'were appalled at the blatant disregard for basic health and safety precautions,' adding: 'It is totally unacceptable that so many lives have been put at risk and we will take all action necessary to protect workers, including closing sites and prosecuting those responsible. The construction industry should take ownership of this issue and do more to tackle poor standards on sites.' Last year over half of the workers who died on construction sites worked in refurbishment, and the number of deaths on refurbishment sites rose by 61 per cent.
Briefing document (200 words) issued 7 Mar 2008