HSA Construction Prosecutions Review

Jul 04, 2022

The HSA has identified construction as a high-risk sector, embarking on a new three-year Strategy aimed at targeting high risk activities for inspection. A review of past prosecutions can help construction companies identify the risks most likely to attract the attention of inspectors.

From the period 2018-2020, of the 30,427 inspections carried out, 40% of these were construction sites (12,848). The formal statutory enforcement options open to the HSA are to prosecute, to serve either a prohibition or improvement notice, or to issue an improvement direction. The Authority can also apply to have a site closed down.

40% of companies issued an improvement notice were construction companies while nearly 70% of prohibition notices were served to construction businesses. Of the 21 construction prosecutions taken, 12 were against construction companies, one against a client company and nine against individuals (some of which have taken place on farms).

Prosecutions have included falls from height incidents, excavation works, failures to appoint project supervisors, asbestos offences and persons being hit by flying objects. 

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