“Shocking” toll of building site deaths
Union leaders are pressing the Government and employers to tackle the “shocking” level of deaths on building sites.
The Trade Unions Congress (TUC) has stressed the need for better safety after revealing new figures showing that three construction workers die in Britain every fortnight.
TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O’Grady is calling on Ministers to introduce corporate manslaughter legislation, to punish negligent employers, and to boost investment in training.
“Employers will only change their poor health and safety practices when they realise that they are likely to be punished if found guilty of causing the deaths of their staff or members of the public,” said Ms O’Grady.
“The Government must publish its proposals for a new corporate manslaughter law before the beginning of the next session of Parliament.”
The TUC claims that current safety measures are ineffective and that “token gestures” such as safety leaflets are inadequate because many construction workers in Britain do not speak English as a first language.
The union says that 1000 workers have died on British construction sites since 1992 and that 36 of these deaths have occurred in the last six months.
