09.08.2007

UK government to host safety forum

In later July Peter Hain, the UK secretary of state for work and pensions called for employers, trade unions and ‘other organisations’ to come together and find ways to reduce fatalities in the construction industry following the 11 percent rise in fatalities in 2006/7.See fatal work accidents on the rise

The government has confirmed that a “ range of key industry figures will be invited to a forum, to be held in September, which will particularly focus on ways to improve health and safety in the house building and refurbishment sectors.”

Peter Hain said: "Any rise in fatalities is not only shocking, it is completely unacceptable. It is vital that everyone involved in the construction industry puts health and safety first, everyone from clients to employers, designers to suppliers, large construction firms right down to the smallest builders.

"We have a seen a significant rise in deaths within the housing and refurbishment sectors and I am calling together clients, contractors, trade unions, designers, suppliers and others for a special forum in September to try and crack the problems in these areas. I have also asked the Health and Safety Commission and Executive to redouble their efforts in driving improvements within the construction industry.

"With the Prime Minister's commitment to build 3 million new homes over the next few years and large scale developments such as the Olympics the industry and government must work together to do all we can to ensure the health and safety of construction workers is put first."

Vertikal Comment

With falls from height still representing the largest single cause of deaths on construction sites, IPAF and the CPA should automatically be invited as key attendees at this forum.

Items on the agenda should include items such as:

The increased use of modern access equipment.

A more professional approach to the planning and ordering of access equipment so that machines are delivered in plenty of time for proper familiarisation instruction to be carried out.

The ending of frequent off-hires and mid contract-supplier swapping, which lead to changes in equipment and a new learning curve.

Putting an end to the useless bible-sized risk assessments and backside covering attitudes to safety that so many construction companies adopt.

A proper approach to training focusing on quality, not quantity with the adoption of more practical course lengths with a solid skill test at the end. And an end to the builders attempt to introduce training scheme monopolies.

The faster reporting by the HSE on the causes of accidents with a more inclusive and less adversarial attitude.

The mandatory wearing of harnesses with short lanyards in boom lifts.

I could go on and on but have already gone on for too long, perhaps the crane and access industry should in the coming weeks put together a list of practical suggestions to cut accidents from work at height and lifting operations so that the industry associations can present them at this forum?

There are hundreds, if not thousands of highly experienced employees within the crane and access rental and manufacturing companies who could very quickly provide a number of solid, practical ideas on how contractors and builders can cut accidents.

If IPAF and the CPA started collecting those ideas in preparation for this forum. Then maybe ...just maybe this forum could make a difference rather than being a political reaction to bad numbers?