Tories seek to undermine new law on construction safety

New health and safety regulations designed to protect construction workers have been placed in jeopardy by Conservative leader David Cameron.

Just three weeks before the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 were due to come into force on 6 April, Cameron laid down an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons asking that they be annulled. No date had been set for a debate on the motion as we went to press.

Unions have generally supported the regulations, which simplify the management arrangements for construction work while retaining worker protection - making them an example of "better regulation" as opposed to "de-regulation".

The CWU communication workers' union reacted with disgust to the Tory move. Health and safety officer Dave Joyce pointed out that, since the new regulations have the support of the Health and Safety Executive and even the CBI employers' organisation, they are hardly "earth-shattering".

He added that they contain enhanced duties on clients and clarify designers' duties, and "should help to deliver gains which were envisaged by the original regulations but hadn't materialised".

"David Cameron wouldn't know what it's like to work in an industry where health and safety regulations are crucial," Joyce said. "He's clearly failed to do his homework and appears to be lacking basic knowledge of health and safety."