INDUSTRY BODY TO GRASP FRAGILE ROOF DEATH TOLL

New industry guidance will spell out CDM client role in prevention

The Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) advises HSE on the protection of people at work and the public from hazards within the building, civil engineering and engineering construction industry.

The membership (see below) provides representation from key industry stakeholders and was reconstituted at the beginning of 2013 with a refreshed membership.

HSE works in partnership with CONIAC and other industry groups to take forward the HSE preventive strategy.

Priority to be given to fragile roof safety

The CONIAC Safety Working Group (SWG) has now reported that the group has turned its attention from work at height generally to falls through fragile roofs.

The group has identified the need for very simple guidance aimed primarily at clients which sets out their responsibilities and relates them to complementary duties of those undertaking the work. The group is discussing a draft and working on a distribution plan.

Deaths caused by falls through fragile surfaces are the biggest single cause of construction fatal falls and related prosecutions dominate the cases taken by HSE Construction Groups.

The proposed guidance will probably encourage the adoption of work practices which involve working from below fragile surfaces.

SWG wants to emphasise the need to develop a CONIAC “brand” to facilitate publication of guidance.

Additionally, SWG is watching progress of the Strategic Forum for Construction Plant Safety Working Group on various pieces of guidance, including:

plant operator competence (awaiting HSE clearance);
managing ground conditions; and
revised guidance on telehandlers.

CONIAC Members/Observers

Name	Organisation
Alan Muddiman	Civil Engineering Contractors Association
Steve Murphy	UCATT
Andrew Butt	Observer for Office of Government Commerce
David Parsons	National Federation of Builders
Gilbert Barron	Observer for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Edward Fendt	Specialist Engineering Contractors Group
Richard Habgood	Construction Industry Council
Jason Rowley	UK Contractors Group
John Scott	National Specialist Contractors Council
Kevin Fear	ConstructionSkills
Kevin Minton	Construction Plant-hire Association
Clive Johnson	Construction Clients’ Group
Kevin Williamson	Unite (Amicus section)
Paul Haxell	Home Builders Federation
Peter Caplehorn	Construction Industry Council
Jerry Nelson	GMB
Rob Gutteridge	Federation of Master Builders
Heather Bryant (Chair)	Health and Safety Executive
Richard Ash	Engineering Construction Industry Association
Susan Murray	Unite (T&G section)

This article was posted on 25th March 2014

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