ECA president’s view

The same goes for health and safety. No matter how much you love your job, it’s good to get home safe and sound to your loved ones.

JIB figures show that, since the 2001 launch of the ECA’s Zero Accident Potential (ZAP) scheme, the rate of accidents with ECA members has halved.

My praise goes to members for showing real commitment in demonstrating best practice to achieve these results, and to my fellow ECA officers and staff in their ongoing efforts to drive health and safety improvements.

The JIB figures come as MP Keith Hill calls for the government to impose increased fines and court cases for firms that cut costs by breaching health and safety procedures.

While the ECA welcomes moves to improve health and safety, I believe the government should start by making compliance more accessible for our industry and perhaps reward those firms that comply.

The ECA proposes that the government could remove barriers to compliance with regulations by giving firms free health and safety publications and recognising and working only with firms that comply with the laws.

I find that the carrot works better than the stick, and these steps would go some way to stopping unnecessary onsite deaths and injuries.

The next stage of ZAP launches later this year, with practical forms on carrying out onsite risk assessments and method statements.