09.01.2008

UK Contractors in major training plan

The UK Major Contractors Group, a group of 12 large UK contractors, has announced that it has identified supervisor health & safety training as an operational priority and that all supervisors working on member sites must attend a ConstructionSkills’ Supervisors Safety Training Scheme.

Constructionskills says that the two-day Site Supervisors’ Safety Training Scheme provides an introduction to health and safety, welfare and environmental issues. It is designed for those requiring an understanding of the current legislation that applies to them and their work activities.

The MCG has given supervisors two years in which to attend the course and obtain the ‘qualification’ after that it will adopt a zero tolerance policy on its sites. The ‘qualification’ lasts five years, after which it must be renewed.

Vaughan Burnand, chief executive of Shepherd Construction and chairman of the MCG Health & Safety Group said: “By working together MCG members have made a tremendous contribution to improving conditions on site and in reducing the incidence of accidents and work related ill health.”

“Our front line supervisors assume huge responsibility and we are very pleased to have been working with ConstructionSkills in the development of a course designed specifically to help these supervisors fulfil these responsibilities. The course has been designed not only to refresh their Health & Safety knowledge but also to enhance their skills in intervention techniques, managing behavioural change and communication.”

Gordon Crick, inspector of Health & Safety for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said: “The HSE recognises the vital importance of training for site supervisors and encourages all contractors to consider their approach in ensuring that the training needs of supervisors are given priority.”

Vertikal Comment
In order to improve site safety it is true that new initiatives are essential, whether this one will achieve anything significant will depend on how practical the course is.

If it merely extends the UK focus on obtaining the right paperwork, rather than really encouraging a strong safety culture then it will be a total waste of time. There is a tendency in the UK to replace a top down safety comes first culture with backside covering certification.

Far better to implement long term apprentice type training programmes that instil the essentials of site safety into supervisors and other employees and then to ensure that every employee and subcontractor knows that safety comes before profit.

Too many contractors bog the job down with paperwork but once they have it all push employees and subcontractors to cut corners to keep on schedule.