Construction injuries and safety passports for site workers

Despite the efforts of many health and safety, government and industry figures, construction remains one of the most dangerous sectors in the UK today. In fact, last year there were more fatalities in the construction industry than in any other sector, with fatal construction injuries accounting for 32% of all UK fatal workplace injuries.

And there is no reason to believe that the situation is improving, with the rate of construction injuries seemingly on the rise and, perhaps most worryingly, a Health and Safety Executive survey revealing that as many as one in three construction sites put workers at risk of serious injury.

Many strategies have been mooted to try and lessen the problem, but, inevitably, they often attract controversy and argument about their potential effectiveness. However, one strategy that is gaining support, credence and momentum is the idea of "safety passports".

In the autumn of 2007, the Work and Pensions Secretary, Peter Hain, chaired a forum investigating health and safety for the construction industry. Although much was discussed at the forum, one clear and strong recommendation that came out of its work was the idea of a safety passport for construction workers, effectively a document which would guarantee a worker has undergone a rigorous process of health and safety training.

Private company Safety Pass Alliance (SPA) currently run a scheme offering a similar passport for workers. Their success in implementing it is seen by many as pointing the way for similar schemes in the future.

Ray Gibbs, SPA's managing director comments, "At present a simple 40-minute touch screen test to gain a safety qualification, the CSCS card, is regarded by most in the industry as sufficient training in health and safety. Clearly it's not working.

"That's why we have developed a special one-day safety passport course, which considerably enhances health and safety knowledge when compared to the existing Construction Skills Certification Scheme.

"The new safety passport scheme is being introduced at a time when the industry needs to make a step-change in its efforts to reduce accidents. We genuinely believe its adoption will reduce accidents.

"We have achieved solid results in all sectors. In fact many large companies in other business sectors are now fully embracing the safety passport culture and are insisting that visiting contractors' employees must hold safety passports for their industry."

Personal injury solicitors specialising in construction accidents
The no win, no fee solicitors on YouClaim's panel firms are committed to representing the interests of construction workers who have suffered injury in the workplace.

We have a proud history of securing successful outcomes for our clients, while doing so at absolutely no cost to them.

Win or lose, we will never charge the claimant a penny in costs or fees, and, with our no-cuts promise, will always deliver 100 percent compensation in a won case.

Furthermore, we also protect you from costs incurred by the defendant side by using a form of insurance that guards against this eventuality.

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To contact us today, just fill out an online claim form, have an echat, or call us now on 0800 10 757 95. We look forward to helping you with your construction injury claim.