Inspectors  concentrated on significant health risk issues, such as respiratory risks from dusts containing silica materials, exposure to other hazardous substances such as cement and lead paint, manual handling, noise and vibration.

The two-week blitz saw 560 sites visited with conditions so bad on 13 jobs that work had to be stopped immediately..

Enforcement notices were also served on a further 85 sites and 107 Improvement Notices issued.

A total of 239 health-related Notices of Contravention were served at 201 of the sites.

HSE’s Chief Inspector, Heather Bryant, said: “We recognise the construction sector’s progress in reducing the number of people killed and injured by its activities.

“But it is clear from these figures that there is an unacceptable toll of ill-health and fatal disease in the industry.

“So, to encourage the industry to treat health issues in the same way as safety, HSE’s inspectors will consolidate the efforts of this initiative throughout the rest of the year by looking at the prevention and control of health risks in construction, alongside their continued assessment of the management of safety risk issues.

“We will make sure the construction industry ‘Thinks health’ as well as safety.”