News on 20 September 2000
Poor planning, badly managed projects and clients picking the lowest
price are blamed for the 22% rise in the number of construction fatalities
last year to 79. This represents one third of all workplace deaths. New
figures from the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) for the year ending
31st March 2000 show that major injuries have also risen, from some 4,650
last year to 4,689. As part of its campaign for safer construction, the
Electrical Contractor’s Association (ECA) has published a leaflet
describing the legal obligations of clients concerning construction sites.
The leaflet provides guidance for the Health and Safety Executive ‘Construction
(Design and Management) Regulations’ (CDM). These regulations were
implemented to reduce the large number of fatal accidents and cases of
ill health occurring every year in the construction industry. Responsibility
is placed upon clients, designers and contractors, and a new position
of responsibility has been created – planning supervisor.
Clients are required to provide information about the land and existing
buildings. They must also appoint the planning supervisor, designers and
principal contractor, and allow sufficient resources to enable projects
to be carried out in compliance with the regulations, and ensure that
work does not begin until a health and safety plan has been prepared.
On completion of the project it is the client’s responsibility to
make sure the health and safety file is available for inspection.
Under the CDM Regulations construction includes electrical, mechanical
and other building services. ECA members have to meet strict criteria
on technical and business competence, as well as health and safety issues
before they are allowed to join, and they can therefore be of help to
clients in respect of the CDM Regulations, according to the ECA.
David Pollock, Director of the ECA, commented: "Since its foundation
the ECA has had a strong commitment to safety issues and we hope that
the provision of this leaflet will help clients to understand their obligations
under the CDM Regulations."
The ECA represents more than 2,000 member companies, and its role is to
"provide focus for the electrical industry in terms of safety, training,
qualification, technological development and industry performance."
