Builders under fire over safety

The construction industry has come under fire from union leaders for its "complete failure" to act to prevent accidents and avoidable deaths at work, reported The BBC.

A lack of accountability is "costing workers their lives" the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) said.

Its report coincides with new voluntary guidance on safety at work issued by the Institute of Directors (Iod).

But the UCATT says self-regulation does not work and calls for strict laws.

The criticism comes as an investigation is launched into the death of a building worker, who was killed in an accident at Heathrow's Terminal Five over the weekend.

The new guidelines will be sent to private and public sector builders across the UK, urging boards and managing directors to take urgent action in preventing accidents and possible fatalities under the Corporate Manslaughter Act.

"Too often health and safety are words used as excuses by organisations that have not developed their thinking in this area," said IoD director general Miles Templeman.

"The IoD hopes that the new guidance can help organisations integrate health and safety into business decisions in an appropriate way."

But the report from the UCATT, which represents 125,000 members employed in the construction industry, shows that since the voluntary guidance on directors' duties was introduced in 2001 just 44% of companies have cooperated.

It also suggests that when a company does take positive action and appoints a director in charge of health and safety, on average this leads to a 25% reduction in accidents.

In certain cases, a proactive approach to the voluntary guidelines has led to an 80% fall in the number accidents.

UCATT officials also point to the low conviction rate over health and safety offences.

On average in the last five years, seven directors or senior managers were convicted of such offences - in contrast with a yearly death toll of more than 200 workers.

Michael Clapham MP, chair of the all-party occupational safety and health group, said the report "should be required reading for all those who argued against the need to make director's directly liable for company's health and safety failures".

"It is essential that Parliament have the opportunity to revisit this matter at the earliest possible opportunity," he added.