Site Safe Scotland (SSS) was set up in the 1980s to achieve improved standards of health and safety within the Scottish construction industry. It has developed into a group that includes representatives from major andspecialist contractors, small builders, professional bodies, trade associations, training organisations, construction clients, trade unions, Local Authorities and Health and Safety Executive inspectors (HSE).
Members of Site Safe Scotland meeting at HSE Edinburgh
The main objective of the group is to achieve a reduction in accidents and fewer cases of work related ill health through the sharing and dissemination of best practice and information as well as maintaining strong links between HSE and the participating representatives.
The group concentrates primarily on small and medium sized enterprises and has worked hard to ensure thatcompanies and individuals are armed with the information they need to achieve safe and healthy working on construction sites.
Examples of work undertaken by the group include:
Perhaps the biggest success of the group to date however is its contribution to the planning and delivery of numerous Safety and Health Awareness Days (SHADs) across Scotland. Working together with partners in localauthorities, regional construction industry groups and training organisations, the events have been tailored to suit the needs of each area. The presenters andorganisers are drawn normally from the members of the SSS group who give their time and expertise free of charge. Very much part of the success has also been the close liaison with local contractors and plant hire companies who have willingly given their plant/equipment for the day to enable the practical demonstrations to take on a very realistic stance.
These events have been held in the main areas of population as well as locations such as the Western Isles,Shetland, Highland and the Borders. Over the past few years SHADs have been used to get the health andsafety message out to thousands of employees working for hundreds of contractors. Similar educational/protional events have also been held for the Scottish Government, local authorities, designers and clients.
