The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is to target 1,500 construction sites - including around 80 in Wales - as part of a campaign to tackle poor safety standards.

In the coming weeks, HSE inspectors will be out in force in North Wales, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport areas in a bid to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries in the construction industry, especially in the refurbishment, repair and maintenance sector.

Across Great Britain in 2007/08 there were 73 deaths on construction sites, with 38 in the refurbishment sector. Five of those deaths were in Wales.

-- Advertisement --

In the same period in Wales, there were 705 injuries classed as major or requiring more than three days off work to employees and self employed people. Further statistics for all counties in Wales are available on request.

Inspectors will make unannounced visits to sites to raise awareness of the problem, with the refurbishment sector accounting for 50 per cent of all accidents, but representing only 40 per cent of all construction activity.

In a similar initiative last year inspectors took enforcement action against more than a quarter of sites visited. The HSE has warned that contractors can once again expect strong enforcement action.

HSE's Chief Inspector of Construction Stephen Williams said: "While workers in the refurbishment sector continue to be injured and killed, as we stated before our last inspection initiative, HSE will continue to target the contractors and principal contractors on those sites which flout health and safety law and come down hard on them where necessary."

(JM/NS)