Safety Forum First Step for Industry to Reduce Deaths

Construction union UCATT have welcomed today’s (September 17) Safety Forum summoned to improve construction safety.

Peter Hain the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, called the forum. He has responsibility for the Health and Safety Executive. Mr Hain called together building representatives after construction deaths rose by 31 per cent this year, with 77 builders losing their lives.

The Strategic Forum has been tasked with ensuring that the key issues discussed at the forum, will form part of a new Framework of Action for improving construction safety.

For the first time UCATT was able to win Government recognition that high levels of bogus self-employment in the construction industry massively decreases workplace safety. Self- employed workers having no employment rights and therefore no union safety representatives.

UCATT also called for a large rise in inspection numbers and for the Government to renew the Workplace Safety Advisor scheme. The union also raised the issue of contract compliance and the responsibility of the client not to abdicate their safety responsibilities once the ink is dry is dry on the contract.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “Congratulations must go to Peter Hain for calling the safety forum. It is an important first step in the battle for builders lives.”

Mr Ritchie, added: “Sadly it is still the case that many construction employers are failing to take safety seriously. They put profits before people. This must not be allowed to continue the safety of workers must be the number one issue for everyone in the industry.”