Casual labour blamed for poor safety record

Site safety will not be dramatically improved until the casualised and fragmented way the construction industry operates is radically altered, according to Ucatt.

The union has just published a dossier of evidence submitted to an independent inquiry into construction site fatalties. The inquiry was commissioned by the Government and is headed by Rita Donaghy. It is due to report in April.

Alan Ritchie, Ucatt general secretary, commented: "The inquiry is taking place solely because Ucatt banged on doors to get heard. If we had not done so, there would be no inquiry."

The union dossier highlights the problerms posed by bogus self employment affecting over 400,000 workers. It claims casualised working greatly decreases site safety. And it says HSE statistics give a false impression of the extent to which those claiming to be self employed are at greater risk.

Here the HSE is accused of hiding the facts.

It is further argued that a significant rise in the number of employment agencies and gangmasters has further reduced safety. The union says "many workers placed on construction sites through this route are inexperienced, lack training and are often not supplied with basic safety equipment."

Alan Ritchie added: "The Government made a commitment to re-examine the introduction of statutory directors' duties as a part of this inquiry. That might make some people uncomfortable. But Ucatt will hold the inquiry to account to fulfil that commitment."