The Health and Safety Executive is reviewing its inspection strategy to allow assessors to look at plans before they reach the construction phase.
The Health and Safety Executive wants to be able to visit design offices to allow it to intervene earlier in the construction process.

Kevin Myers, the HSE's chief inspector for construction, said: "We are reviewing our intervention strategy so that we can intervene earlier in the supply chain with the client and the designer.

"It's all very well us inspecting construction sites but by then 60% of the decisions have been taken."

Stricter inspection criteria are due to be introduced next year. Any change to policy first has to be cleared by the Health and Safety Commission.

Myers was speaking ahead of the Working Well Together safety conference on 18 October. The HSE identified seven key target areas for discussion at the follow up to February's safety summit: competence and qualifications of the supply chain; measuring performance and reporting; engaging the workforce; designing for health and safety; what the Government can do; reaching small and medium-sized enterprises; what clients can do.

The 170-strong conference delegates split into breakout groups to suggest solutions to the problems identified at February's summit.

"The summit was about the different bodies highlighting the issues that they could do something about," said Myers. "Now we need to identify synergies so we can start to focus on the next phase. This is a ten-year haul which can only be delivered by concerted action."