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Decrease In Construction Deaths In North West and North Wales Must Not Reduce Drive For Safer Sites

Research undertaken by construction union UCATT has revealed that construction deaths in its North West region (which includes North Wales) fell substantially last year.

In total there were 8 deaths across UCATT’s North West region in 2007/8, a reduction from 13 deaths in 2006/7. Six construction workers were killed in North West England. Two construction workers were killed in North Wales.

Nationally the number of construction deaths decreased slightly in 2007/8 with 72 people being killed at work on construction sites, compared to 79 in 2006/7.

George Guy, Regional Secretary of UCATT’s North West Region, said: “Any reduction in deaths must be seen as a positive step forward. However eight families lost loved ones in the region last year, each death is an individual tragedy.”

Since 2002 the number of enforcement notices and prosecutions issued by the Health and Safety Executive has been declining. The decline in enforcement activity has been caused by budget cuts and a reduction in the number of frontline inspectors.

The industry has also become increasingly casualised, with a dramatic increase in the number of workers supplied through employment agencies and Gangmasters. This has resulted in a large number of inexperienced workers being placed on construction sites.

Mr Guy, added: “Although deaths have decreased I fear that this is mainly due to luck rather than any conscious improvement by the majority of employers to enhance safety provisions. Too many employers are willing to risk workers lives and do not take adequate safety precautions.”

Construction is the most dangerous occupation in Britain, analysis shows that nationally the most likely causes of deaths were: Fall from height (23 deaths), hit by a moving or flying object (16), electrocution (10).

It is estimated that management failure is a contributory factor in at least 70 per cent of construction deaths. However only 30 per cent of companies are prosecuted following the death of a construction worker.

For Further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235

Failure To Prosecute After Crane Death A Sad Indictment For All Concerned

The HSE’s decision not to prosecute anyone involved in the death of Mr Zbigniew Swirzynski has been met with dismay by construction union UCATT.

Mr Swirzynski, a carpenter, was killed on 15 January 2007, when a tower crane collapsed and crushed him on the site he was working on in the centre of Liverpool. The crane driver was also injured in the incident.

Following a 16-month inquiry the Health and Safety Executive and the Merseyside Police have decided that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone involved in the incident.

George Guy, regional secretary for UCATT’s North West region, said: “This decision is a kick in the teeth for construction workers. How on earth can they have any confidence in health and safety provisions on sites, if the powers that be can’t find anyone to prosecute in such a high profile incident?

Mr Guy, added: “Tower cranes do not fall apart of their own accord. Something clearly went wrong and a worker died.”

The accident in Liverpool was one of a series of recent high profile accidents - many of them fatal - involving tower cranes. UCATT supports a national register of tower cranes, many of which are over 30 years old in order to ensure that they are in good condition and are regularly maintained.

In April the select committee for Work and Pensions published a major report into workplace safety, as part of their recommendations they backed the call for a national register of tower cranes. However the Government rejected the proposal due to the difficulty of maintaining such a register due to the cranes “mobility”.

Construction is the most dangerous industry in Britain. Last year 72 people were killed in the industry, in 2006/7 the death toll was 79.

For Further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235

Mayor Of Flint Takes Fight For Justice For Shrewsbury Pickets To Jack Straw

Terry Renshaw, the Mayor of the North Wales town of Flint, has taken the campaign for justice for the Shrewsbury Pickets, directly to Jack Straw the Justice Secretary.

In 1972, 24 building workers, including Mr Renshaw were charged with conspiracy following that year’s major building strike. The police case against the workers was highly controversial as it was politically motivated. It is believed that the then Conservative Home Secretary Robert Carr, was heavily involved in the decision to prosecute the workers.

Six of the pickets, Des Warren, Ricky Tomlinson, John McKinisie Jones, Arthur Murray, Brian Williams and Mike Pierce were sent to prison.

Since the original trial campaigners have been calling for an inquiry into the circumstances around the case and to formally reveal the collusion between the police, the judiciary and the Conservative Government.

Mr Renshaw, a member of construction union UCATT asked Mr Straw during a question and answer question session during Labour Party conference, why the Labour Government had failed to hold an inquiry into the issue.

Mr Straw then met Mr Renshaw privately to discuss the matter further. Unfortunately Mr Straw did not give a firm commitment to re-open the circumstances into the arrest, trial and conviction of the workers.

Mr Renshaw, said: “I am pleased that Jack Straw was willing to speak to me about the injustices that my comrades and I experienced. I am disappointed that he felt unable to promise an inquiry into the matter. Thirty six after our arrest the Shrewsbury Pickets and their families still deserve justice.”

He added: “An inquiry is needed not just to discover the lengths the British State went to victimise innocent workers. But to ensure that this can never happen again.”

For Further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235

Asbestos Activists Take Campaign To Labour Party Conference

Members of construction union UCATT will this week extend their campaign to win justice for victims of pleural plaques by campaigning at Labour Party Conference in Manchester. In order to place pressure on Justice Secretary Jack Straw and the Government

Deaths from asbestos illnesses are increasing year on year. Last year over 2,000 people died of the incurable lung cancer mesothelioma.

Many deaths were traditionally associated with asbestos factories and heavy industries. Construction workers are now at greatest risk from asbestos, due to the material’s heavy usage in buildings.

UCATT campaigners will be:

Outside the main Entrance to Labour Party Conference

Peter Street

Manchester

M2 5GP

Sunday 21 September 2008

9.00am – 9.30am

Pleural plaques are scarring of the lung caused by heavy and prolonged exposure to asbestos. The scars become visible on x-rays following calcification. Pleural plaques cause limited physical symptoms, however victims suffer severe mental distress. Pleural plaques sufferers have a greatly increased chance of contracting the incurable lung disease mesothelioma.

Compensation for pleural plaques is a low financial amount. However if a pleural plaque victim then develops the fatal lung cancer mesothelioma, the relevant insurers will have already been identified, meaning that compensation will be paid in a victim’s lifetime. If the insurers have not already been identified this is unlikely to occur.

Last October the Law Lords overturned over 20 years of Common Law and ruled that pleural plaques should no longer be a compensational illness. Their decision is understood to be worth at least £1.4 billion to the insurance industry.

Since that judgement asbestos campaigners led by UCATT have been attempting to get the Government to overturn the House of Lords decision. UCATT organised a highly successful postcard campaign, with thousands of people writing to the Ministry of Justice to get the ban overturned.

In July the Government released a consultation document on Pleural Plaques. While UCATT was pleased that the Government was actively considering the issue, they were disappointed that the document says the “Government is not minded” to overturn the Law Lords decision.

This potentially places the Government at odds with the Scottish Parliament, who have introduced a Bill to overturn the Law Lords judgement. UCATT fears that a postcode lottery could be created with Pleural Plaques victims in Scotland receiving full compensation, while those in England are given less recompense.

Rather than overturn the Law Lords the Government appears inclined to create a scheme for asbestos victims. Such a scheme would not identify liability and the most severe cases would not receive adequate recompense.

Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: “Thousands of workers have had their lives needlessly damaged by exposure to asbestos. They deserve justice. Compensation must be paid. The Law Lords decision must be overturned.”

For Further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235.