15.01.2004

UCATT announce Safety advisers

George Brumwell, general secretary of the construction workers' union UCATT announced today that in a bid to reduce the number of construction site accidents and deaths, UCATT is investing substantial funds in appointing five health and safety advisers who will travel the country offering their advice services free of charge to employers and seek to establish safety reps within the sites they visit.

He claims that research has consistently shown that workplaces where union safety reps are engaged experience 50 per cent fewer accidents than places without safety reps.

Brumwell also commented on the death of a worker this morning at the new Wembley stadium (see separate report). "The death of a construction worker at Wembley and the injuries suffered by one of his workmates is terrible news," he said. "Our thoughts are very much with their families. The numbers of fatalities and serious accidents are rising alarmingly. The carnage has to stop. the death toll among construction workers has now reached 54 since April.

"We suffered a double whammy today, however,"Brumwell added. "We have been working very hard indeed to make the new Wembley stadium a very safe site, yet we had this tragedy today. But our safety campaign goes on."