date: 6 September 2001

embargo: For immediate use

Attention: Editors, Industrial and Health Correspondents


Alarming increase in death toll on construction sites in the Greater South East

Trade unions will mount a safety offensive at key construction sites in London from 10 September . The week long programme of action has been organised in response to the 25 percent increase in deaths in the construction industry last year.

HSE figures for 1999 - 2000 showed that 85 people died on construction sites nationally, 42 of those in the greater South East including 14 in London. HSE figures for 2000 - 2001 show there were at least 106 site deaths in Britain. Unions expect the HSE regional breakdown, due out in October, to reveal a large increase in deaths in the construction industry in the South East, in the Eastern region and especially in London.

Key unions in the sector, the GMB, TGWU, UCATT and MSF, through the Construction Campaign Task Group of the Regional TUC in London, South East and East of England, are organising a week of action to promote a step change in the level of safety on sites.

Mick Connolly, SERTUC Regional Secretary said:

'It beggars belief that the number of deaths on construction sites is increasing and that it was the highest last year for a decade. Employer commitment to ensuring safety is often weak and it has been demonstrated that the existing enforcement regime is inadequate. Many employers, the Health and Safety Executive and the Government have reason to be ashamed that more than 100 people needlessly lost their lives on construction sites last year.

'We are calling on employers to work closely with unions to make their stated desire for 'safety first at all times' a reality on site. We are asking the Government to provide more resources to the HSE to increase the number of inspectors and to adopt a much more aggressive enforcement regime. And we are adamant that a new structure of 'trade union roving safety reps' be funded to expose bad practice.'

Unions in London will distribute tens of thousands of leaflets that inform construction workers of their basic rights and urge them to join a union and defend themselves at work.

Martin Gould, President of the Regional TUC for London said:

"The evidence shows that unionised workers are safer at work. Every construction worker has an enforceable right in law to a safe workplace but the industry is dogged by ignorance and sadly by intimidation and exploitation. The first line of defence is that all construction workers

should join a union and have the confidence to demand their right to safety at work. Our campaign is designed to encourage and enable construction workers to defend their rights through union membership, to demand that the Government fund an enforcement regime that is effective and that where employers transgress, that they are properly penalised."

The week of action will commence at Canary Wharf, where a sixth construction worker was recently killed when a two tonne cabinet fell on him.

Lou Lewis, Chair of the SERTUC Construction Committee said

"The Canary Wharf development stands boldly on the London skyline. Every Londoner should think of it as a reminder of the six workers that have lost their lives during the site development. It is a testament to construction companies failure to put safety first. Without radical change it is probable that Cormac Norden will not be the last worker to die there.

The launch of the campaign is timed to coincide with debate of actions urgently needed to prevent work related deaths, injuries and ill-health at TUC Congress in Brighton.

To address the worsening death rate, trade unions will continue to engage in progressive joint action with employers but this voluntarist approach needs to be underpinned by:

  • barring employers with poor safety records from public sector projects;

  • a new offence of corporate killing with provision for a custodial sentences for offending company directors found responsible;

  • the need for a new Health and Safety Act to revitalise health and safety;

  • legal protection from victimisation for health and safety reps;

  • a legal right to stop work where it is believed that health and safety is being compromised;

  • more Inspectors for the HSE;

  • a more aggressive enforcement strategy to be adopted by HSE including higher fines;

  • legislation and resources to establish a comprehensive structure of trade union roving safety reps;

  • a mandatory registration system through which all construction workers must register, accredit their skills and be certified in minimum standards of health and safety; and

  • all agency labour to be equipped with minimum standards of footwear, head protection and high visibility clothing.

Trade unions will continue to work to ensure trade union visibility in the industry, to increase recruitment of construction workers into unions. to strengthen organisation and build worker's confidence to act in defence of safety.

The 'week of action' will be launched at Canary Wharf, 7.00am, 10 September, where there will be a brief rally and photo opportunity (Grim Reaper, launch of black balloons commemorating deaths).

Construction unions will lobby workers as they enter sites (7.00am) at the following locations/days:

Monday Canary Wharf

7.00am Assemble outside the Jubilee Line Tube Station off Cabot Square

Tuesday Paddington Basin

7.00am Assemble corner of Edgeware Road and Praed Street

Wednesday Mace Site, Tower Hill

7.00am Assemble outside the entrance to the Tower

Thursday McAlpine Site, Shoe Lane

7.00am Assemble corner of Shoe Lane and Stone Street, EC4

Friday The new Greater London Authority building, Osbournes Site

7.00am Assemble corner of Tooley Street and Vine Lane, SE1

Deaths and Injuries in Construction 1999/2000

Fatal Injuries Major Injuries Injuries causing a

3 day absence from work

East Sussex 1 36 63

Greater London 14 793 1157

Kent 7 151 237

Surrey 0 81 136

West Sussex 1 67 75

Oxfordshire 0 38 112

Bedfordshire 0 33 53

Buckinghamshire 2 39 75

Cambridgeshire 2 59 106

Essex 1 687 2161

Berkshire 1 412 884

Hampshire 5 917 2337

Hertfordshire 0 51 98

Norfolk 6 431 1677

Suffolk 1 378 1542

Isle of Wight 1 112 194

TOTAL 42

Media enqiries should contact:

TUC

Laurie Heselden

Regional Policy & Campaigns Officer

Southern & Eastern Regional TUC (SERTUC)

tel: 020 7467 1292

mobile: 0781 800 2877

And the following full-time trade union officers working in the construction industry are available for interviews:

TGWU

Roger Ferdinand

020 8596 9966

mobile 07980 721 412

GMB

Tom Kelly

020 8202 5666

mobile 07885 706 559

MSF

Martin Gould

01279 755 377

mobile 07768 931 304

UCATT

Lou Lewis

020 7622 2441

Notes to Editors:

All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

A series of TUC rights leaflets are available on our website and from the know your rights line 0870 600 4 882. Lines are open every day from 8am-10pm. Calls are charged at the national rate.

Press release (1,200 words) issued 8 Sep 2001

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