Common Health and Safety Violations in UK Construction (And How to Avoid Them)

Introduction

Construction remains one of the UK's highest-risk industries. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), construction accounts for a significant proportion of workplace fatalities and serious injuries annually. Yet many violations are entirely preventable with proper training, awareness, and adherence to established protocols.

At You Can Do It Training, we've worked with hundreds of construction companies across the UK. We've seen first hand how the right health and safety culture transforms workplace safety. This guide outlines the most common violations we encounter—and crucially, how to avoid them.

1. Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The Violation: Workers not wearing required PPE or wearing it incorrectly. This includes missing hard hats, improperly fitted safety harnesses, lack of high-visibility clothing, or unsuitable footwear.

Why It Happens:

• Complacency after working incident-free for extended periods

• Discomfort or inconvenience of wearing PPE

• Lack of clear enforcement from site management

• Insufficient training on proper PPE use

How to Avoid It:

• Conduct regular Site Safety Awareness training for all workers

• Implement a strict "no PPE, no work" policy

• Conduct weekly toolbox talks specifically on PPE requirements

• Ensure supervisors model correct PPE use at all times

• Provide properly fitted, comfortable PPE appropriate to tasks

• Document PPE checks as part of daily site inspections

Relevant Training: Our CITB Site Safety courses emphasize PPE protocols and create a culture where safety is non-negotiable.

2. Falls from Height

The Violation: Inadequate fall protection systems, improper use of scaffolding, missing guardrails, or workers not using safety harnesses when working at height.

Why It Happens:

• Time pressure leading to shortcuts

• Inadequate planning of work at height

• Lack of competent supervision

• Failure to inspect equipment before use

How to Avoid It:

• Always use the hierarchy of control: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE

• Ensure all work at height is properly planned and supervised

• Use certified scaffolding contractors and inspect scaffolding regularly

• Provide competent training on harness use and inspection

• Implement a permit-to-work system for high-risk tasks

• Conduct daily equipment inspections before use

Relevant Training: Our IOSH Managing Safely course covers risk assessment for work at height and creating robust control systems.

3. Poor Housekeeping and Site Organisation

The Violation: Cluttered work areas, trip hazards, materials stored improperly, debris left on walkways, and general disorganization that creates unnecessary risks.

Why It Happens:

• Perceived as low priority compared to production deadlines

• Lack of clear responsibility assignment

• Insufficient resources allocated to housekeeping

• No enforcement mechanism in place

How to Avoid It:

• Assign specific housekeeping responsibilities to team members

• Conduct daily 5-minute "tidy-up" sessions before end of shift

• Create designated storage areas for materials and equipment

• Implement a "clean as you go" culture

• Include housekeeping checks in daily site inspections

• Recognize and reward teams maintaining excellent standards

  
  

4. Inadequate Risk Assessment and Planning

The Violation: Failing to conduct proper risk assessments before work begins, or assessments that are generic rather than site-specific.

Why It Happens:

• Rushing to start work without proper preparation

• Using outdated or template risk assessments

• Lack of competence in conducting assessments

• Insufficient involvement of frontline workers in the process

How to Avoid It:

• Conduct thorough, site-specific risk assessments before work begins

• Involve workers who'll be doing the job in the assessment process

• Review and update assessments regularly as conditions change

• Ensure all identified risks have documented control measures

• Communicate risk assessments clearly to all relevant personnel

• Train managers and supervisors on effective risk assessment

Relevant Training: Our IOSH Managing Safely and IOSH Leading Safely courses provide comprehensive training on risk assessment and management.

5. Lack of Supervision and Competence

The Violation: Inadequate supervision of workers, or supervisors/managers lacking the competence to identify and manage health and safety risks.

Why It Happens:

• Insufficient staffing levels

• Managers promoted without adequate H&S training

• High staff turnover affecting continuity

• Unclear reporting structures and responsibilities

How to Avoid It:

• Ensure all supervisors and managers receive formal H&S training

• Maintain appropriate supervisor-to-worker ratios

• Implement a clear chain of command and reporting structure

• Conduct regular competence assessments of management staff

• Provide ongoing professional development for supervisors

• Foster a culture where workers feel empowered to report concerns

Relevant Training: Our IOSH Managing Safely course is specifically designed for supervisors and managers in construction.

6. Failure to Provide Adequate Training

The Violation: Workers not receiving proper induction, site-specific training, or competence verification before starting work.

Why It Happens:

• Pressure to get workers on site quickly

• Assumption that experienced workers don't need training

• Lack of structured training programs

• No verification that training has been understood

How to Avoid It:

• Implement a mandatory induction process for all new workers

• Provide site-specific training before work begins

• Offer regular refresher training and toolbox talks

• Verify understanding through questioning, not just attendance

• Keep detailed training records for all personnel

• Ensure training is accredited and recognized (CITB, IOSH, etc.)

Relevant Training: You Can Do It Training offers CITB-accredited Site Safety courses with 99%+ pass rates, ensuring your team is genuinely competent.

7. Inadequate Emergency Procedures

The Violation: No clear emergency procedures, untrained first aiders, missing emergency equipment, or unclear evacuation routes.

Why It Happens:

• Assumption that emergencies won't happen

• Lack of planning and preparation

• Insufficient investment in emergency resources

• No regular drills or practice

How to Avoid It:

• Develop clear, written emergency procedures for your site

• Ensure adequate numbers of trained first aiders are present

• Conduct regular emergency drills (at least quarterly)

• Clearly mark evacuation routes and assembly points

• Maintain and regularly check emergency equipment

• Brief all workers on emergency procedures during induction

Relevant Training: Our First Aid and Mental Health First Aid courses ensure your team can respond effectively in emergencies.

8. Failure to Report and Learn from Incidents

The Violation: Not reporting near-misses or incidents, or failing to investigate root causes and implement corrective actions.

Why It Happens:

• Fear of blame or disciplinary action

• Perception that minor incidents don't matter

• Lack of clear reporting procedures

• No visible action taken following reports

How to Avoid It:

• Create a non-punitive reporting culture where workers feel safe reporting

• Implement a clear incident reporting procedure

• Investigate all incidents and near-misses thoroughly

• Identify root causes, not just immediate causes

• Implement corrective actions and communicate them to the team

• Review incidents regularly to identify trends

• Share learnings across the organisation

  
  

Taking Action: The Path Forward

Health and safety violations aren't inevitable—they're the result of gaps in knowledge, culture, or systems. The good news? These gaps are entirely fixable.

Start with training. Our accredited courses—including CITB Site Safety, IOSH Managing Safely, and IOSH Leading Safely—have helped hundreds of UK construction companies build robust safety cultures. With a 99%+ pass rate, we ensure your team doesn't just complete training; they genuinely understand and can apply it.

Build the culture. Safety isn't a compliance checkbox; it's a mindset. When leaders prioritize safety, workers follow. When workers see that safety concerns are taken seriously, they report them. When incidents are investigated and lessons learned, the whole organization improves.

Stay compliant. Regular training, clear procedures, competent supervision, and a commitment to continuous improvement keep you compliant with UK health and safety regulations—and more importantly, keep your people safe.

Ready to Strengthen Your Safety Culture?

You Can Do It Training delivers accredited, practical health and safety training across the UK. Our Chartered IOSH trainers bring 30+ years of experience and a proven track record: 99%+ pass rates and satisfied clients across construction and related sectors.

Whether you need Site Safety Awareness, IOSH Managing Safely, First Aid, or Mental Health First Aid training—delivered at our state-of-the-art venues or on-site at your location—we're here to help.

Get in touch today for a free consultation or explore our courses to see how we can support your team's safety and compliance.

About You Can Do It Training

We're a CITB, UKATA, IOSH, CPD and QNUK-accredited training provider based in Stoke-on-Trent with venues across the UK. Since 2022, we've been helping construction and related businesses achieve compliance, reduce risk, and build safety-first cultures. Our trainers are Chartered IOSH professionals with over 30 years of collective experience.