01.08.2006

Construction Clients approve all card sites by year end

In the UK the Construction Clients’ Group has backed plans by the Major Contractors Group to only allow approved card holders on its members sites from the end of the year.

The two associations have set up exchange visits between their health and safety groups to promote better practices. James Preston-Hood, director and chairman of the Construction Clients Group, health and safety group, said: “CCG is in no doubt that clients from all sectors, small or large, will benefit from having a qualified workforce, not only in terms of health and safety but also in terms of productivity and the quality of the end product

In July, John Spanswick, the chairman of the Major Contractors Group, commented that the group will insist on a 100 percent card only sites from the end of this year. In doing so it joins the Major House Builders group which also plans to go “card only” next year.

This effectively bans all workers but those carrying cards issued or approved by Construction Skills Ltd, this does include the IPAF, PAL card which is accepted as an equivalent by the MCG. The ALLMI card on the other hand is still not fully accepted due to extensive bureaucratic delays in its approval, on the part of Construction skills, which is effectively a monopoly.

The Major Contractors Group had originally planned to go all card on its sites in 2003, but even as recent as two years ago, many of its members sites were only managing to achieve 66 percent, (with IPAF cards included) due to the high level of sub contractors employed on MCG sites. The inability of the scheme to train enough staff, coupled with the Construction Skills inability or unwillingness to vet and approve independent schemes within a rational time frame has exasperated the “carding” of such staff.
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