Let's applaud construction's braves - 25/08/05
contractjournal.com Newsletter - 25.08.05
Editorial: Construction workers so brave in times of adversity
Everyone knows how dangerous the construction industry is... but there can no denying the bravery of its workers in times of crisis. Online news editor Tim Wood pays tribute to some of the unsung heroes who risk their lives to help others.
Last year more than 70 people died in construction related incidents - that's 70 too many.
But two stories published this week in hard copy and on-line earlier today illustrate that it could be even more if it wasn't for the bravery of certain individuals.
The first concerned a railway worker, Douglas Lynch, who suffered burns to 90% of his body after fire broke out in the Channel Tunnel last Tuesday. Lynch passed away on Saturday night at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, after losing his four-day battle to stay alive.
However it has transpired that only the selfless actions of Lynch prevented a major disaster and inevitably the loss of more lives. An industry source told CJ: "We understand that he brought his locomotive to a stop while engulfed in fire, thus preventing it colliding or causing catastrophic damage anywhere else in the tunnel."
Today, CJ has reported on the death of a nine-year-old boy at a quarry in Ireland. He was standing beside a load of stones that were about to be moved when they collapsed on him. This despite the best efforts of the owner of the quarry who suffered a number of broken bones when he tried to help the boy. This could so easily have been another fatality.
And let's not forget the engineers with London Underground's Emergency Response Unit who were on hand with their expertise within minutes following the London bombings in July. Who knows how much of the Tube network was damaged and could have caved in at any minute. But that thought wouldn't even have crossed their mind as they just did their job.
The construction industry is often crtiticised for the way it treats its people... but those who say that workers don't look after in times of adversity couldn't be more wrong.
* If you are worried about managing your company's health and safety performance, and the responsibility it entails, you can't afford to miss the next Contract Journal conference, held in conjunction with our sister title, Commercial Motor.
Our Realising the Risks conference, to be held in Warwickshire on 21 September, will give you practical advice on tackling risk assessment on site, on the road and in the workplace, so that you can make your business as safe as possible.
Among the speakers is Paul Gallemore, Wolseley Group's health and safety manager, and Amec's head of safety, health and environment, Jason Rowley, who will talk about its innovative behavioural training scheme for construction workers.
If you want to make your workplace safer, you can't afford to miss this conference. For more details, contact Teresa Murphy (020 8652 3887), or e-mail teresa.murphy@rbi.co.uk.