NAO calls for better health and safety

A National Audit Office (NAO) report on health and safety in construction said the industry and its government clients can do more to improve the health and safety of construction workers.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) was also criticised. Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, said: "The HSE must be better able to assess and measure the impact of its strategies for ensuring the industry takes ownership of its risks and manages them in order to reduce avoidable injuries to people."

NAO's recommendations to the HSE include: working with the industry to develop tangible measures linked to priority issues, such as falls from heights;  increase the number of follow-up interventions with firms visited under its blitz programmes; and maximise the potential impact of the programme through publicity and engagement with intermediaries.

The report found that many designers lack knowledge of their responsibilities under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994. "Some designers erroneously believe they do not have any duties towards the health and safety of construction workers," the NAO said.

The targets set at the 2001 health and safety summit for reducing deaths and major injuries (40% by 2005 and 66% by 2010) are unlikely to be met and can be measured only in part.