MCG launches safety film for migrant workers

The Major Contractors Group (MCG) is launching a multilingual safety initiative to cut the number of site accidents involving migrant workers.

The move coincides with the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the EU on 1 January. It follows growing evidence that migrants suffer more accidents than their British counterparts owing to the language barrier and a lack of training.

The initiative centres on a 20 minute safety awareness DVD, available from next month, which can be played in Bulgarian, Romanian and Polish.

An MCG spokesperson said: “We expect to launch the initiative in the next few weeks.”

Last autumn, a report commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive found that migrant workers in industries including construction suffer more work-related accidents than those from the UK. However, they are reluctant to report safety issues to employers, for fear of dismissal, or deportation.

In a separate development, the Home Office has launched an advertising campaign to warn firms in the construction and agriculture sectors about the penalties for employing unauthorised foreign workers.

Employers found guilty of breaching the law will be fined up to £5,000 for each illegal worker in their employment and could face jail sentences.