1 in 3 London Basements Fail Safety Checks

Health and safety inspectors have found that more than a third of domestic basement projects in three London boroughs failed safety checks. The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) two-day inspection campaign took place from November 20-21.

A team of inspectors examined 107 sites in Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster. Enforcement action was taken at 36 – or 34% – of these sites.

They also served 41 Prohibition Notices requiring dangerous practices to stop straight away and 21 Improvement Notices requiring safety improvements to be made.

Most Prohibition Notices pertained to unsafe work at height, with risky excavations also a matter for concern. Inadequate welfare provision represented three in four of the Improvement Notices.

But HSE’s lead inspector for the campaign, Andrew Beal, thinks some progress is being made. The findings show that contractors who have previously been advised by HSE have made improvements. The poorest standards were identified among companies who were previously unknown to visiting inspectors.

Mr Beal said: “What we found during the inspections was that better standards were usually at sites managed by companies who are known to HSE, a number of whom have previously received enforcement notices requiring improvements to be made.”

If you would like information on claims and compensations associated with a defective basement project please contact our construction lawyers by calling 08456 381381 or emailing construction@ibblaw.co.uk.