Fury at plans to close safety body Coniac

Plans to scrap safety advisory body Coniac have come under a hail of criticism from all sides of the industry.

Proposals have been put forward to wind-up Coniac and transfer its activities to the construction Strategic Forum.

Six Coniac members issued a statement warning that the move "would ultimately risk undoing much of the important work that is set in place to protect the lives and wellbeing of workers".

And trade contractors at the National Specialist Contractors Council have also come out against the plan.

Chief executive Suzannah Nichol said: "We are of the strong opinion that Coniac must continue as a committee and should not be replaced by the Strategic Forum, or one of its working groups. Members of Coniac perform a role that is both unique and essential to the construction industry."