The Hazards Campaign
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PRESS RELEASE No embargo 1 October 2009

Why are we waiting ? Campaign groups calls on government to stop talking and ACT to stop deaths in the construction industry !

Following reports that the government is to again consult the killer construction industry about how to improve their dreadful safety record rather than act on the recommendations of it's own DWP commissioned report, the Hazards Campaign said: “It beggars belief the government is again dodging action on construction safety by talking to the construction employers who are concerned about Rita Donaghy's recommendations. We have been waiting for what seems like forever for the government to stop talking and act. If Yvette Cooper plans to talk to the employers who create the risks and cause the deaths, then she must explain why she is stalling to those who have to take the risks and pay the costs:  injured workers and families of those killed. We call on the government - again - to accept the recommendations of the Donaghy report supported by the Work and Pensions Select Committee, and implement them now to start reducing the damage being done to construction workers.”

Background:
The government gave the task of looking at ways of improving safety in the construction industry to DWP which commissioned  Rita Donaghy to carry out a review.  She consulted extensively with industry before reporting earlier this year in a report called  ‘One Death is Too Many’. This report received the backing of the Work and Pensions Select Committee.  Since then workers, industry, unions and campaigners including Families Against Corporate Killers, have been waiting for government to act.

 The Hazards Campaign welcomed Rita Doneghy's report which called for:

• Positive legal duties on all company directors for health and safety, as many are not covered and are currently able to evade the full strength of the law.
• Greater involvement of trade unions and especially union safety representatives.
• Bring construction under the remit of the Gangmasters Licencing Authority.
• Emphasising health and safety requirements in publicly funded construction projects.

One death is too many – Rita Donaghy's report:

http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm76/7657/7657.pdf

For further comment contact: Mick Holder

020 8223 0712

The Hazards Campaign, c/o Greater Manchester Hazards Centre, Windrush Millennium Centre, 70 Alexandra Road,
Manchester, M16 7WD . website www.hazardscampaign.org.uk