HSC unable to reduce transport accidentsÉ

by Ross Pearman



The Health & Safety Commission (HSC) has admitted that it is "hard to see how to reach any new ground" in tackling the spiralling number of accidents caused by workplace transport.

The HSC is now calling on the industry for input, following the publication of its 23-page discussion document Preventing Workplace Transport Accidents, part of its Revitalising Health and Safety (RHS) strategy.

In response, the TGWU has called on the HSC to help the industry to tackle bogus plant operators.

TGWU national secretary Bob Blackman said: "It's all very well the HSC highlighting the problem - it's the second biggest killer in our industry - but it needs to look at the worrying number of plant operators who don't have a Certificate of Training Achievement (CTA), skip induction courses and get on site."

Eight areas have been prioritised in the RHS document in a bid to reduce provisional transport death figures for 2000/2001 that show 26 people were killed in construction, compared to just seven the year before.

Blackman added: "We are witnessing a fall in the number of deaths and injuries caused by falls from height. However, the number of transport incidents has risen alarmingly.

"What is more worrying is that companies are bringing in equipment for a short period of time, resulting in injuries to workers who have not had proper site training."

Stewart Campbell, Health & Safety Executive director for Scotland, called for better management and communication on site to solve the problem. "Now we are in a static position and it's difficult to see how any significant new ground can be won without help from the industry."

Labelling the figures as "unacceptable", Campbell added: "My key point [to the industry] is to read the document. Tell us what went wrong and what went well. It is an important part of our job to spread knowledge to others who need it. But we need it from you in the first place."