Some construction company practices are 30 years behind the times
An HSE inspector has been left quite shocked by the standards of heath and safety prevailing on Bradford building sites that were revealed during a recent inspection initiative during which work was stopped at over a third of the sites visited. HSE describes the conditions and situations as 'fatal accidents waiting to happen'.
Small sites were identified in Bradford, and of 61 sites visited:

voluntary cessation of work was agreed at 18 of them;
4 required the imposition of Prohibition Notices; and
1 Improvement Notice was issued.
Poor standards of scaffolding were frequently encountered by inspectors.

Comment:
"This is 2006 yet some of the conditions remind me of the unacceptable safety standards I saw in the early 1970s. This initiative was prompted by a number of very serious accidents and it is only a matter of time before a fatal accident occurs. Small contractors in Bradford need to improve their scaffolding standards significantly. There is little excuse for some of the omissions and I am forced to take the view that some contractors are knowingly placing site workers in danger. Indeed, should a fatality occur those responsible could well find they face manslaughter charges.
Inspectors are continuing to concentrate attention upon smaller sites and we will be planning further initiatives later in the year. I urge all contractors to review their procedures and seek expert advice if they are unsure of the legal requirements." - HSE Principal Inspector.