HSE to focus on safety record of smaller contractors

As part of its evaluation of the effectiveness of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, the HSE is putting the health and safety record of clients and smaller contractors under the microscope.

The HSE has given tier one contractors a clean bill of health for the positive changes they have made in recent years to improve the safety of their sites and the employees who work on them. However, clients and smaller firms are now coming under scrutiny from the safety watchdog as part of a review of the CDM Regulations.

Anthony Lees, Head of the HSE Construction Policy Unit, said in May that he does not expect to see “significant changes” to the existing CDM regime but said it was clear that some construction firms were still not complying with the law. Despite major improvements made to safety over the last decade, the HSE is now aware that on-site monitoring must be ramped up to prevent continuing health and safety abuses.

The HSE is delighted that the industry’s safety record has changed for the better. However, whereas a decade ago 30% of deaths on site could be traced back to employers of less than ten people, that figure rose to 65% last year. As a result, the supervisory body will be scrutinising the health and safety policies of clients and subcontractors to determine where and why unsafe practices are being adopted.

Speaking at the launch of a Capita Symonds / Transport for London CDM storage product in May, Lees said that historically the HSE has not prosecuted clients. Now their role will be analysed in greater depth and supply chains examined to determine where problems are occurring.

Workplace Law's CDM Regulations One-Day Workshop is designed to help you find out everything you need to know about the CDM Regulations and includes practical guidance from our expert course tutor who has real world experience as a CDM Coordinator.

The revised Construction (Design and Management) Regulations came into force in April 2007 having health and safety implications for all organisations. CDM must now be applied to every construction project regardless of size or timescale.

The CDM Regulations are aimed at improving the overall management and coordination of health, safety and welfare throughout all stages of a construction project to reduce the large number of serious and fatal accidents and cases of ill health which happen every year in the construction industry.

This CDM training workshop will look in detail at the legislative requirements as well as the application of the accompanying CDM Approved Code of Practice which incorporates the roles and responsibilities of each duty holder, who may be held accountable for an accident on a construction project, namely the:

• Client;
• Designer;
• Principal contractor;
• CDM Coordinator; and
• Contractor.

This CDM training workshop will involve syndicate exercises using case studies so that typical problems associated with the management of CDM can be discussed.

For more information click here.