Construction Death Toll Hits 69, Guilty Bosses Should Be Jailed

Construction Death Toll Hits 69, Guilty Bosses Should Be Jailed

Construction union UCATT have called for a root and branch review of health and safety on construction sites after it was revealed that 69 construction workers were killed at work in 2007/8.

The figure is a 10 per cent reduction on last year’s fatality figure but is 15 per cent higher than the 60 deaths in the industry in 2005/6.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “Although the death toll for construction has dropped slightly, these figures remain appalling, practically 6 building workers are killed every month. Construction has inherent dangers but this level of fatalities cannot be tolerated. I send my deepest condolences to the families of all workers whose loved ones have been killed at work.

UCATT have established a three-point plan to reduce deaths. Which includes a major strategic rethink of the role of the Health and Safety Executive, a reduction of casualisation in the industry and the implementation of director’s duties.

In recent years the HSE have reduced the number of inspections on construction sites, issue fewer enforcement notices and prosecute fewer companies following the death of a worker. While some of these reductions are due to budgetary constraints, much is due to the belief of senior staff at the HSE believing their role should be to provide advice and information and less about enforcement.

In recent months both Judith Hackitt the chair of the HSE board and Geoffrey Podger HSE chief executive have stated that they believe that it is not their responsibility but up to the industry to reduce construction deaths. Speaking about construction safety, Ms Hackitt said in a recent interview: “The real solution is to get people in the industry to manage it for themselves.”

The view is at direct odds with UCATT’s belief, which is that sites will only become safer if construction bosses are constantly fearful their sites will be shutdown for safety reasons.

Mr Ritchie, added: “Senior managers at the HSE should stop doing impressions of Pontius Pilate and try to wash their hands on construction deaths. Too many construction bosses do not care about the safety of their workers, no number of DVD’s, posters or fancy seminars will change their thinking, the only thing which will do is if a construction inspector is constantly breathing down their necks.”

UCATT also believe that many of the deaths and injuries in the industry are a result of the casualised nature of the industry. They are calling on the Government to extend gangmasters legislation to the construction industry and to ensure the industry no longer has endemic levels of bogus self-employment. By introducing such reforms jobs would become secure and stable, increasing safety. It is now widely accepted that migrant workers who are most likely to be in casualised forms of employment, are at greatest risk of being killed or injured on construction sites.

UCATT are calling for the introduction of statutory director’s duties, which would make an individual director responsible for a company’s health and safety. If a worker was then killed and the company was found to be negligent, a director could possibly face imprisonment. There is currently only a voluntary code on director’s duties and the majority of companies choose not to appoint a specific director to take responsibility for health and safety issues.

Mr Ritchie, further added: “The Government must introduce director’s duties if it is serious in saving construction workers lives. We must end the state of affairs where fat cat director’s are more interested in counting their obscene wealth, sipping a pina colada and planning their next holiday, rather than ensuring their workers are not killed.”

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