THE Building Safety Group (BSG) has reported a 31% increase in the number of electricity breaches occurring on construction sites.
20,000 independent site inspections were taken out by BSG which compared the first six months of 2018 with the same period in 2019.
The most common type of infringement included damaged and trailing cables as well as temporary position of impermanent supples around the site. Damaging wire sheathing or exposed conductors were also common violations recorded by BSG advisors.
BSG’s report follows the new IET wiring regulations introduced at the beginning of 2019, which mean construction sites must be fully compliant and up-to-date with the latest BS7671 wiring laws.
BSG safety adviser, Craig McCarter, commented, “Construction fires can spread rapidly because of the flammable materials exposed and contained within a site. Knowing how cables can be better managed will significantly reduce the risk to workers, as well as emergency service crews.” Craig added: “The new IET regulations mean that cables must be adequately supported against their premature collapse in the event of a fire, so that they fall to the corridor and do not trap people.”
