03.12.2009

HSE to review crane register after a year

The UK Health and Safety Executive will review the Government’s tower crane register after just 12 months giving an early opportunity to extend or scrap the system. Traditionally there is a delay of between three and five years before a performance review of new regulations.

“We think three years is too long for us to wait to see whether this is working,” said HSE chair Judith Hackitt.
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Judith Hackitt

The register has been criticised as ‘pointless’ by many trade bodies saying that it is part of a package predominantly about public reassurance rather than having any noticeable impact on safety standards. Details of how the register will work were announced by the HSE last week, and largely follow the plans that were consulted on.

The HSE has not yet decided how it will measure its success, but said that key factors could include numbers of registrations, hits on the website and public inquiries.