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UCATT calls for greater vigilance following death of Swansea construction worker

Construction union UCATT have called for building bosses to prioritise safety on sites, following the death of a construction worker in Swansea.

The man, who was working at the luxury flats development at Ferrera Quay complex at Swansea Marina, fell from scaffolding on January 22. Despite emergency treatment he died in hospital several days later.

The death of the as yet unnamed worker means that over 50 workers have been killed on construction sites this year. The figure is expected to rise further, when the reporting year is completed at the end of March. In 2006/7, 77 construction workers lost their lives at work, a 30 per cent increase on the previous year. Construction is the most dangerous industry in Britain.

Nick Blundell, UCATT regional secretary for the Wales and South West, said: “This latest death underlines the dangerous nature of construction. While it is almost impossible to make the industry entirely safe, construction employers in general could be doing far more to make sites safer.”

In recent years a variety of factors have led to an increase in construction deaths. These include:

Cuts in the Health and Safety Executive, which has reduced the number of inspections and prosecutions.

The increasingly casualised nature of the industry, which has reduced effective safety training of workers.

An increase in construction work, which has placed additional time pressures on the workforce.