The widows of site workers who had gathered outside the auditorium failed to break in. But following a struggle with security guards, the protesters jostled deputy prime minister John Prescott as he made his way into the conference centre.
Government criticism
The few bosses at the back were not the only ones who felt uncomfortable during Meacher's speech. The environment minister harangued the industry. He accused the bosses of lax management, lack of respect for workers and an "utterly appalling health and safety record".
Old Labour and wary of employers, Meacher warmed to his task. He welcomed the unions' proposal for roving safety representatives that both the Construction Confederation and the Major Contractors Group oppose. The Health and Safety Executive promised to co-ordinate pilot projects which will include roving safety representatives. One-nil to the unions.
Stronger enforcement
Meacher didn't just focus on contractors. He urged the HSE to take stronger enforcement against designers and clients. He specifically criticised clients for allowing too little time for project construction.
If that was not enough to make a few faces blush with rage or embarrassment, Meacher finally promised "early [safety] legislation that will increase penalties significantly". He added: "It is what you do rather than what you say that will inform what legislation we will bring forward." Deputy prime minister John Prescott reinforced the threat that legislation would be used to bring the number of fatalities down if construction could not do the job itself. He referred to the oil industry, saying that industry only really improved its record after tough legislation was introduced following the Piper Alpha disaster.
Prescott also took a swipe at managers and architects. He said, "The competence of managers must be substantially improved," and he accused architects of designing buildings without thinking of how they can be maintained safely.
Junior construction minister Beverley Hughes took a more sympathetic view of the industry. She praised efforts to improve safety through the anti-cowboy builder Quality Mark, but warned of new measures that will be introduced by government clients to raise safety standards.
She said that each government department will report on the health and safety performance of its contractors every year. This will be co-ordinated through the Office of Government Commerce – the Treasury's procurement unit. The OGC will also produce a guide to safety for government clients, said Hughes. And health and safety will be monitored on a project-by-project basis by new OGC "gateway" committees that will check the viability of projects at strategic points.
Construction minister Nick Raynsford backed up the safety report idea and instructed the Construction Industry Board to include health and safety performance in the "state of the industry" report it submits to government every six months. He added that a league table of government clients will be set up based on the reports.
Achieve the targets
Bill Callaghan, chairman of the Health and Safety Commission, set new targets for the industry. He urged construction to cut deaths and serious injuries by 40% over the next four years – a 10% year-on-year improvement. He urged the best companies to aim for a reduction of 20% year on year. "If we achieve our targets," he said, "we will spare 40,000 people." Industry promises were widely trailed by some of the key organisations. Mike Roberts, Chairman of the Construction Clients Confederation, promised that 50% of the operatives on CCC members' sites would be registered to a single accredited scheme by the end of 2001 and the rest by 2002; this ambitious plan aims for up to 750,000 registered workers in 20 months.
Keith Clarke's brief but impressive speech outlined the plans of the Major Contractors Group. "We are 50% better than the rest of the industry but project managers must change the way they do their jobs," he said. In a promise that aligns with the aims of the clients, Clarke said that by 2003 all workers and managers on MCG sites will be fully qualified and registered and that each contractor will produce an annual health and safety report.
Peter Andrews, speaking on behalf of the Construction Industry Employers Federation (which represents smaller contractors), pledged to cut accidents by 10% year-on-year and also said that all workers will be suitably qualified by 2010.
It is what you do rather than what you say that will inform what legislation we will bring forward
Environment minister, Michael Meacher
Government construction clients will have to produce health and safety reports from their construction activities
Junior construction minister, Beverley Hughes
The competence of managers must be substantially improved
Deputy prime minister, John Prescott
Project managers must change the way they do their jobs
Major Contractors Group chairman, Keith Clarke
You have nothing to fear from roving safety reps
UCATT boss, George Brumwell
We will produce a safety guide for government clients
Office of Government Commerce, construction head Deryk Eke
Construction’s ten safety promises
- Contractors will work with the HSE to introduce roving safety representatives
- The CIB will report on health and safety every six months to the government
- The Office of Government Commerce will introduce a league table of government clients based on their health and safety records
- The OGC will produce a safety guide for government clients
- The industry will reduce accident and fatality rates by 10% year on year
- Best practice companies will reduce accident and fatality rates by 20% year on year
- Construction clients will allow only registered workers on site by 2003
- Major contractors will allow only qualified employees on site by 2003
- All contractors will allow only suitably qualified workers on site by 2010
- Degree courses will dedicate at least one day each year to health and safety
Source
Construction Manager
