‘Act if you see danger’

Fatality rates on building sites have risen to the highest level for five years with 77 deaths between March 2006 and 2007. Many are due to lax safety measures on smaller sites.

Vaughan Burnand, chairman of the Major Contractors Group’s health and safety working group, believes direct action is one of the best ways to reach smaller builders.

Burnand said: ‘I’m a believer in acting if you see something dangerous. I saw two scaffolders near my flat the other day who weren’t clipped on. I had a word with them and they sorted themselves out, it’s amazing what a bit of supervision will do.’

The rise in deaths has prompted the government to call a safety summit on September 17. Work and Pensions secretary Peter Hain is organising the forum, which will focus on the housing and refurbishment sectors, which between them accounted for nearly 50% of fatalities last year.

Many believe that the real problem is a lack of HSE inspectors, with the government cutting back, rather than increasing numbers. ‘Walk down any street in London and you’ll see a building job with workers but no contractor board,’ said Burnand. ‘Those people are the main problem and they have been for years. The Health and Safety Executive cannot possibly police them all with its current resources.’

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘With small sites only likely to get a visit from an inspector once every 11 years on average it is still far too easy for them to risk the safety of their workers without fear of getting caught.’