There has been a sharp increase in construction fatalities in the North West, union UCATT has revealed.

The construction union found out through a Freedom of Information request that there was also a major fall in the number of construction inspections in the same region last year.

In 2013/14, the Health and Safety Executive undertook 1,192 unannounced inspections in the North West compared to 1,370 in 2012/13, a reduction of 13%. The figures for 2013/14 were also lower than those of 2011/12 when there were 1,203 inspections in the region.

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The decrease in construction inspections occurred when the industry was beginning to recover from the recession and coincided with a sharp increase in construction fatalities. There were five fatalities in the region in 2013/14 compared to two deaths the previous year.

Andy Fisher, Regional Secretary of UCATT North West, said: "The fall in inspections is deeply alarming, far too many construction employers pay lip service to safety laws, and the threat of an inspection is often the best guarantee of a worker's safety being protected.

"With construction starting to emerge from the depths of the recession it is essential that inspection activity increases to meet demand. We need to especially vigilant that new entrants into the industry are following safety laws. HSE inspections save lives and reduce serious injuries."

(CD/JP)