New Report Reveals Shocking Dangers For Workers In Small Construction Companies

A new report published today (28^th April) to coincide with International Workers Memorial Day, reveals the shockingly high number of deaths of construction workers who were working for small construction companies.

The report Small Isn’t Beautiful written by the Centre for Corporate Accountability for UCATT, revealed that in 2007/8 over half (51%) of the construction workers killed, worked for companies with fewer than 50 employees. Even more disturbingly almost half of these deaths occurred in companies, which employed five or fewer workers. The levels of deaths are disproportionately far higher than the total number of construction workers employed by enterprises of this size.

Due to long term cuts in frontline Health and Safety Executive numbers, companies of this size are very rarely inspected, unless a major accident or a fatality occurs. The level of convictions following major accidents and fatalities remains worryingly low.

UCATT are calling for an increase in the number of fully qualified frontline HSE inspectors, who need to take a more proactive approach in order to improve safety. An increased number of inspectors need to be supported by a far tougher regime of enforcements and prosecutions.

Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: “This report sheds fresh light on the dangers faced daily by workers on construction sites. Small companies often do not take safety seriously, that is how tragedies occur. The HSE must introduce a zero tolerance approach to safety and pressure needs to be applied all year round on small construction companies”.

UCATT are also renewing their call for the introduction of statutory director’s duties. Which would require all companies to appoint a director responsible for health and safety. If serious safety lapses occurred and a worker died, there would be the possibility of the director responsible receiving a custodial sentence.

Mr Ritchie, added: “As the law stands a company boss is more likely to be sent to prison for not paying their taxes than killing one of his workers. It is an appalling state of affairs and sends a terrible message that we as a society consider life to be cheap.”

In the autumn of 2007 the HSE and the Institute of directors launched a voluntary code of directors duties. Despite the code being heavily publicised, research has found that just 30% of companies were aware of the code and this did not include small companies who were not surveyed. The number of companies who have actually implemented the voluntary code was not recoded.

It is the first time that such an in-depth report could be written. The report provides information on who died, where they worked, how they died and how old they were. Previously the HSE refused to provide such information.

Mr Ritchie, further added: “Each and every one of these deaths is an individual tragedy. This report spells out in stark clear terms how each individual died. In order to achieve real improvements in safety it is vital not to hide behind statistics.”

Construction is the most dangerous industry in Britain, in 2007/8 72 construction workers were killed. In 2006/7 there were 79 deaths.

To view a copy of the report click here.

For further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235