The new president of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has pledged to work with the construction industry to improve standards for SMEs and transient workers.

Nattasha Freeman is the first IOSH president to come to the role with a construction background since 2005. She currently works as a health and safety director for Birmingham-based developer Phoenix Beard.

Freeman said: “I think we ought to change the focus to construction. This role will be a challenge, but I feel I can do that.”

Her appointment was received warmly by unions and safety groups, particularly in light of the recent statistics released by the Health and Safety Executive, which showed construction had the largest number of fatal injuries out of the main industry groups this year, with 72 fatalities in the sector in 2007/08.

A spokesperson for construction union Ucatt said: “We hope this will give IOSH the opportunity to concentrate on construction.”

Freeman said she hoped to improve communication between the institute and construction SMEs, and transient workers, beginning with starter health and safety packs aimed specifically at smaller contractors and foreign workers.

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