Health Upgraders

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Yvette Cooper, has just announced that the government has published a response to the Rita Donaghy report into construction deaths, which was commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions. The response has been carefully formulated after comprehensive consultations across government organisations, trade unions, business organisations and the construction industry.

Ms. Cooper, while thanking Rita Donaghy and her team for their superlative work said that it was to be hoped that the next steps detailed in the government’s response would go a long way in improving the safety record in the construction sector. She also said that perhaps these steps would be a source of some comfort to the family members of people who lost their lives in construction related accidents.

The Donaghy report set forth 28 recommendations and the government has straight away accepted 23 of them as they are. These recommendations involve safety representatives, building control, the legal standards, minimum safety standards, support for greater worker participation, equipment compliance, support of common minimum standards throughout publicly funded construction projects and mutual recognition between pre-qualification schemes.

As regards the five recommendations that have yet to be accepted so far, the government has said that it will give further thought to these. These recommendations include expanding the legal duties of the directors of companies, extending licensing regulations to the construction industry and the bringing the construction sector under the umbrella of the provisions of the Gangmasters Act.

The Department for Work and Pensions had commissioned this report to understand what further precautions could be taken to lessen deaths and increase safety measures in the construction sector.

Workplace Law Group specialises in employment law, health and safety and premises management – click IOSH Managing Safely Course – they provide information, advice, training and consulting for organisations throughout the UK, to help them comply with the law and manage people in the workplace.