HSE defends time taken to investigate

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has defended the time it takes for the details of investigations into construction fatalities to be published.

UCATT claimed that lessons learnt might have saved the two Willmott Dixon employees killed in Worthing (CJ 16 February) had the findings of the Canary Wharf crane collapse in 2000 been revealed by now.

Jerry Swain, UCATT regional secretary for London and the South East, said: “We cannot afford to wait five years for a report that may have contained recommendations that would have contributed to saving lives today.”

But an HSE spokeswoman said: “We can’t give out details early in case circumstances change and it jeopardises a prosecution. Equipment has to be tested and statements gathered from all involved. Crane collapses are so rare that specialists are required. There is plenty written by us and the press about how to prevent falls from height, but they still remain the biggest cause of fatalities, don’t they?”

Gary Miles and Steven Boatman, both from Reading, were killed when a 30m crane fell at a site 135m from Durrington High School. A Willmott Dixon spokesman said the site “should re-open imminently”.