Every two years the HSE conducts a week-long campaign targeting homes in London where the usually very wealthy owners are excavating underground to create basement extensions. They have been dubbed 'iceberg houses' because there may be more house below ground than above.
And in both 2011 and 2013 inspectors found that one in three projects were being carried out in breach of health and safety laws. In 2011 the HSE took enforcement action at 40 out of 109 sites visited. In the 2013 basement blitz inspectors visited 110 domestic basement extension sites, served 50 prohibition notices and stopped work at 34 sites.
Over the last 10 years, HSE has received reports of 17 construction workers having died as a result of an excavation collapsing, while in the same period 27 were seriously injured.
In December 2014, following the death of a labourer in a basement excavation collapse in Fulham, a company director was found guilty of manslaughter offences and jailed.
Next week HSE inspectors will be focusing on sites in two London boroughs – Kensington & Chelsea, and Hammersmith & Fulham. They will be looking at issues including: collapsing excavations; risk of building collapse from structural alterations or undermining by excavating; the dangers of handling heavy steel beams; poor access and risks of open or unprotected parts of sites.
HSE construction inspector James Hickman, whose team covers southwest London, said: “The construction of basements in London is increasingly widespread. Often it is carried out under existing homes as owners seek to increase their living space without a house move.
“The work is technically challenging and can carry substantial risk. Standards are often poor and often vulnerable sections of the labour market are recruited.
“Contractors are failing to appoint a competent temporary works engineer to design suitable propping to support excavations and existing structures. Likewise, on many projects basic safeguards are missing, such as edge protection to prevent falls from height. And all too often little thought is given to providing proper welfare facilities for site workers.
“Where we find poor practice that is putting lives at risk we will take action, including stopping work and prosecuting those responsible.”
Last November the Basement Information Centre (TBIC) published updated guidance for excavating basements safely and in compliance with the building regualtions.
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