The report warns that with further cuts looming in the HSE budget, the safety watchdog will barely be able to function.

By 2019/20 Government funding of the HSE will have been slashed by nearly half. Combined with local councils reducing workplace inspections by 97%, the British workplace environment is becoming increasingly hazardous, it says.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said that it was deeply worrying that nearly half of health and safety reps across all industries say their workplace has never been inspected by the HSE.

He added: “And I am appalled that 80% of reps in construction say their workplaces haven’t been inspected. Construction workplaces can be some of the most dangerous places to work.”

UCATT Acting General Secretary, Brian Rye, said that sites with union safety reps tended to be larger scale.

“This survey result is astonishing. If there are effectively no health and safety inspections by the HSE then unscrupulous employers will neglect the safety of their workers, if it means they can save money.

“This Tory Government’s wilful neglect of the British worker is tantamount to creating a wild west in the workplace – and we all know the consequences of such neglect will be injuries and maybe lives lost for construction workers.”