Figures from across the industry will attend the health and safety forum chaired by Peter Hain, the work and pensions secretary, on 17 September.

Representatives from Taylor Wimpey, Wates, the National House Building Council, the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform are expected to attend. They will be joined by members of Ucatt, the GMB, the T&G, Amicus, the Federation of Master Builders and the National Federation of Builders.

The roundtable discussion will focus on the housebuilding and refurbishment sectors, in which half of the industry’s fatalities occurred last year.

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokesperson hinted that further forums might occur: “Peter Hain wanted a small meeting to discuss how the sectors could prevent fatalities.

There is a view to further engagement, but the format is not certain yet.”

A source attending the forum said: “It can’t be a one-off meeting but this is a good start.”