Building Site Safety

The Health and Safety Executive has launched a campaign aimed at informing migrant workers on building sites across London of safety issues.

Research carried out by the HSE suggested communities such as Polish, Romanian and Indian workers are most vulnerable when it comes being aware of safe working practices.

The campaign aims to tell migrant workers about the role of the HSE, which many have never heard of, and to make them aware that they have just as many rights to a safe environment as an indigenous worker.

A study showed migrant workers' knowledge of UK health and safety issues is limited, and that they are the most vulnerable group on construction sites.

Wallet size information cards have been produced in Polish and the other languages to distribute to more than 30,000 people around the London area.

Chief Inspector of Construction at the HSE, Philip White, said: "We recognised that we needed to target health and safety information at some of the more vulnerable workers in construction."

He added the campaigns aims to "minimise potentially dangerous incidents on site".

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David Urpeth from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: “Our experience is that we are seeing an increase in the numbers of migrant workers injured following an accident at work.

“It is important that employers ensure that employees understand the safety measures in place.  This is particularly important where employees may have a limited understanding of English.”