It's time for change - HSE leads construction debate

HSE Press Release E172:02 - 19 September 2002

A wide-ranging discussion document, to stimulate debate on how to improve health, safety and welfare standards across the construction industry, was launched today (Thursday) by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

'Revitalising Health and Safety in Construction' reviews the organisational and cultural influences often cited as responsible for the industry's poor health and safety record. Construction workers are six times more likely to be killed than other workers. This document is designed to provoke debate and deliver a spur to action.

HSE wants anyone involved or interested in the industry to read the document and contribute their views. Once the discussion period is over, HSE will review the contributions, draw out conclusions and pursue promising ideas. Where it cannot act in its own right, HSE will raise the conclusions with those it believes can.

This document has received strong government support. Andrew Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, HSE's new sponsor department, said:

"Preventing people from being harmed by construction work, and enabling people to continue in work after illness or injury is a vital task. The importance of these issues to the construction industry cannot be overstated. This document will maintain the momentum for change in the construction industry started by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) last year. I want to reiterate our commitment to work with industry to achieve the much-needed improvement. I urge everyone to rise to the challenge posed by this document and respond with their ideas."

The document reviews the current state of the industry and the Revitalising Health and Safety targets. It also notes that performance in health and safety cannot be separated from performance in other key business areas, such as quality, timely delivery and profitability, and develops a number of ideas raised in the recent report 'Accelerating Change' published by the Strategic Forum for Construction.

Brian Wilson, Minister for Construction at the Department of Trade and Industry said:

"Construction is a hugely important industry. I have seen the best in the industry deliver real tangible returns for all concerned through applying Rethinking Construction principles. But we need an industry that is efficient throughout. To achieve this it really must respect its people, and in particular improve its health and safety record. This document opens up this debate, taking a broad view across the Respect for People agenda. I believe it is an excellent contribution in pursuit of our common vision for a world class industry which is healthy and safe for all."

Launching the discussion document at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Bill Callaghan, Chair of HSC, said:

"For an industry as large and important to the nation as construction, its health and safety performance is in the words of Sir John Egan "absolutely disgraceful". The industry accounts for about a third of all work-related fatalities and has a fatal injury rate six times the all-industry average. But the industry has recognised that things must change and the discussion document is intended to support the change process. But we must not let our guard down. Many of the causes of injury and ill health are well known. This dialogue is not an alternative for action."

Kevin Myers, HSE's Chief Inspector of Construction, said:

"We recognise that addressing the underlying cultural problems requires more joined up thinking and action within this fragmented industry, particularly to engage the small and medium sized firms. This is a golden opportunity for all those interested in the issues we have raised to give us their views on how the industry can become a safer and healthier place to work."

The document explores such issues as leadership and the scope for using various business and financial levers; employment and individual competence; organisations in the industry working together to achieve better commitment, co-operation, communication and corporate competence; improving occupational health; possible changes in legislation, and the contribution government can make.

Copies of the discussion document can be downloaded from HSE's website at www.hse.gov.uk/disdocs/construction.htm

Notes to editors

1. HSE has set up an online discussion forum on the website at www.hse.gov.uk/disdocs/construction.htm where people can exchange and develop ideas.

2. The construction industry is Britain's biggest killer of workers. Provisional figures for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 show that there were 79 fatal injuries to construction workers, accounting for 32 per cent of all worker fatalities. The figures also show 47 per cent of fatal injuries to construction workers were caused by falls from height; 15 per cent - struck by a moving/falling object; 14 per cent - struck by a moving vehicle; 24 per cent - other.

3. The main speakers at the launch, which was attended by around 50 construction industry delegates, were: Bill Callaghan, chair of HSC; Kevin Myers, HSE's chief inspector of construction; George Brumwell, general secretary of the construction union UCATT; and Graham Watts, chief executive of the Construction Industry Council (CIC).

4. The Revitalising Health and Safety strategy statement, is a Government and HSC initiative, which sets targets for the nation to reduce work-related deaths, ill health and injury in Great Britain. More details can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/revitalising/index.htm

5. The discussion document builds on the work of the construction safety summit, which took place on 27 February 2001. The summit 'Turning concern into action', was called by the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and HSC in response to growing concern about the industry's poor health and safety record. It acknowledged the concern over the industry's performance, and agreed the industry had to improve.

6. The construction industry has set the following Revitalising targets for improvement.

To reduce:

• fatalities and major injuries by 40 per cent by 2004/5 and 66 per cent by 2009/10;
• work-related ill health by 20 per cent by 2004/5 and 50 per cent by 2009/10;
• working days lost from work-related injury and ill health by 20 per cent by 2004/5 and by 50 per cent by 2009/10.

7. The Strategic Forum for Construction was set up by Ministers in July 2001 under the Chairmanship of Sir John Egan. On 12 September 2002 it published 'Accelerating Change' a report on its first year of activity.

8. Rethinking Construction is the banner under which the construction industry, its clients and the Government are working together to improve UK construction performance. For more information go to the Rethinking Construction website (www.rethinkingconstruction.org)

9. The Respect for People Agenda is part of Rethinking Construction's efforts to tackle the issues involved in properly valuing the construction industry's workforce. For more information go to the Respect for People homepage at the Rethinking Construction website.

Press enquiries

All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the HSE Press Office