Construction union UCATT have criticised the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's report Improving Outcomes from Health and Safety, which recommends that small businesses should have their health and safety responsibilities reduced.

UCATT believes that rather than considering reducing health and safety provisions, the Government should be focusing on an inspection and enforcement regime that ensures that deaths and serious injuries at work are dramatically reduced.


In the construction industry the biggest killers of construction workers are small and medium sized businesses. Last year 72 construction workers were killed at work.

Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "This report and the message it sends out is dangerous and could have potentially fatal consequences. Companies what ever their size need to understand that health and safety is of paramount importance and not an area where corners can be cut.

"Once again this is a missed opportunity by the Government to increase money for inspections and enforcement action, in safety critical industries such as construction. Increased resources in these areas would help to reduce the death toll in my industry."

(CD/JM)