Strategic Forum sets up health and safety working groups

The Strategic Forum for Construction has set up three working groups to tackle health and safety issues.

At a meeting last week members agreed three "task and finish" working groups would look at the best ways to share information on best practice, improve worker competence, and get workers involved in site consultation.

The move follows the Framework for Action agreed by the industry and Peter Hain MP at a forum in September, and the Tower Crane summit in August.

The sharing information group will be chaired by Construction Confederation chief executive Stephen Ratcliffe; the competence group will be headed by Simon Mantle, health and safety services manager of the National House Building Council; and the worker involvement group will be chaired by UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie.

John Spanswick, chair of the Strategic Forum Health and Safety Group, welcomed new members to the group.

He said: “I appreciate the individual and organisational commitment made to ensure that action is taken. We are collectively responsible for improving our health and safety picture and consider it a privilege, as the primary representatives of the industry to take leadership on this issue.”

The group will continue to report to Lord McKenzie, health and safety minister, and will provide an update on the framework to the secretary of state by the end of the year.

It will meet every four months to review progress. The next meeting will take place at the end of February.