More than a third of 1,000 construction sites visited by safety inspectors last month put the lives of workers at risk, the Health and Safety Executive has said. Financial Times

Inspectors served 395 enforcement notices and stopped work at 30% of sites visited. The spot checks were 'part of a rolling inspection programme targeting poor performing sectors in the construction industry'.

Geoffrey Podger, chief executive of the HSE, said: 'We stopped work on site immediately during approximately 300 inspections because we felt there was a real possibility that life would be lost or ruined through serious injury. Our inspectors were appalled at the blatant disregard for basic health and safety precautions.'