HSE REPORTS ON CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY'S HEALTH & SAFETY PERFORMANCE

HSE press release E001:03 - 8 January 2003

Kevin Myers, Health and Safety Executive (HSE)'s Chief Inspector of Construction, has today presented his second report on health and safety performance in the construction industry to Nick Brown, Minister responsible for health and safety at the Department for Work and Pensions.

The report covers the period from December 2001 to November 2002, focusing on the industry's progress in implementing the Action Plans agreed at the Construction Summit in 2001 and also providing a broader perspective on health and safety performance.

Kevin Myers said: "There is evidence of real progress in delivering the action plans. The drive towards a fully qualified workforce is producing some real changes - as well as challenges. On major projects, we are beginning to see benefits that challenge the perception that a highly mobile workforce cannot be readily trained and competent in health and safety.

Various parts of the industry have been working hard to drive these changes down through the supply chain and taking the message to smaller businesses.

"The work of the Strategic Forum for Construction has also placed decent working conditions centre stage and confirms the business case that good health and safety is not a burden or additional cost. Properly procured and managed project delivers best value to the client, industry profitability and a safe and healthy workforce"

Nick Brown said: "The Construction Health & Safety Summit in February 2001 marked a new level of determination by Government and Health & Safety Commission to see improved health and safety performance in the construction industry. It also signalled a new level of commitment by the industry to raise its game through setting challenging targets for improvement and action plans to deliver those improvements. I am pleased to see the impetus generated by the Summit being maintained and reiterate our commitment to work with the industry to achieve the much needed improvement."

Kevin Myers said: "I am also pleased to report on the changes there have been within HSE: a new Construction Division, an increased focus up the supply chain and on Small & Medium Enterprises (SME)s and the launch of inspection blitzes. Everyone in the industry - and its clients - have to become engaged over the longer-term if we are to see the essential cultural changes.

HSE inspectors are reporting some signs of improvement in risk awareness amongst dutyholders at all levels of the industry. However, there is still some way to go in translating this into a step change in standards on site and little hard evidence of a sustainable downward trend in fatalities and injuries. The input is there and must continue, but we must also start seeing some outcome in the shape of improved management and control of risks leading to reductions in fatalities, injuries and incidents of ill health."

The report 'Health and Safety Performance in the Construction Industry - Progress Since the February 2001 Summit' will be placed on the HSE website on Wednesday 8 January - www.hse.gov.uk/spd/pdf/report2.pdf

Notes to editors

1. The Construction Safety Summit which took place on 27 February 2001 was called by the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Health and Safety Commission Chair, Bill Callaghan, because of their awareness and growing concern about the industry's poor health and safety record. Called 'Turning concern into action' it acknowledged the concern over the industry's performance, and agreed the industry had to improve. During the summit the industry committed to a step change in performance, which was demonstrated through setting challenging targets and adopting action plans.

2. The industry set the following targets for improvement.

To reduce:

• the incidence rate of fatalities and major injuries by 40% by 2004/5 and 66% by 2009/10;
• the incidence rate of cases of work-related ill health by 20% by 2004/5 and 50% by 2009/10:
• the number of working days lost from work-related injury and ill health by 20% by 2004/5 and by 50% by 2009/10.

3. Strategic Forum for Construction was first established in 2001 and sought to further the principles outlined in Rethinking Construction. Initially chaired by Sir John Egan, the Forum was reconstituted in September 2002 as an industry-led body under the new chairman, Peter Rogers.

4. The report 'Health and Safety Performance in the Construction Industry - Progress Since the February 2001 Summit' will also be copied to Brian Wilson, Minister for Construction at the Department of Trade and Industry; Christopher Leslie, Minister with Responsibility for Building Regulations at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Peter Rogers, Chair of the Strategic Forum for Construction; and the Chair of the Health and Safety Commission, Bill Callaghan.

Press enquiries

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