Construction union UCATT have welcomed a new HSE campaign launched to improve safety in the refurbishment sector.

The sector is both the most casualised in construction and the most dangerous. Last year there were 38 deaths of workers operating in the repair, refurbishment and maintenance sectors. Most of the deaths were either falls from heights or electrocutions.

Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of construction union, said: "The HSE's targeting of the repairs and maintenance sector is to be welcomed. Too often the bosses on these kinds of projects think that safety provisions do not apply to them. That kind of thinking all too often results in tragedy."

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Many large sites are adopting better safety measures, a similar safety message is usually not present on smaller refurbishment projects. Such projects often comprise a single domestic property. The majority of these companies have just a handful of workers.

Mr Ritchie, added: "All construction sites are dangerous places no matter how large or small they are. It is imperative that all construction bosses are forced to take their responsibility for worker's safety seriously."

While UCATT welcomes the HSE's latest initiative the union believes that the huge number of refurbishment projects constantly being undertaken requires a continuous inspection and enforcement regime, in order to improve safety and reduce deaths and accidents.

(CD/JM)