Higher risk of work deaths in small firms

Construction workers face a higher risk of dying if working for small companies, according to new research published by building workers union UCATT.

The report, Small isn’t Beautiful, found that workers employed by smaller construction businesses are at a higher risk than those who work for large companies. Whilst 34% of construction workers work for businesses with between 1-49 employees, 51% of the deaths were in this category. Half of these deaths were in companies where there were between 1-5 workers.

Alan Ritchie, UCATT general secretary, said: “Small companies often do not take safety seriously, that is how tragedies occur. The HSE must introduce a zero tolerance approach to safety and pressure needs to be applied all year round on small construction companies.”

The research, undertaken by the Centre for Corporate Accountability, analysed all 72 reported construction workplace deaths in 2007-08. This was the first time that such an in-depth report could be written. Previously the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) refused to provide sufficient information.

Ritchie added: “Each and every one of these deaths is an individual tragedy. This report spells out in stark terms how each individual died. To achieve real improvements in safety it is vital not to hidebehind statistics.”

Small isn’t Beautiful: Construction worker deaths 2007/8 www.corporateaccountability.org/dl/foia/reports/cca_ucatt_deaths.pdf