§ Mr. Urwinasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many fatalities there have been in the building and civil engineering industries in each of the last three years, and to the last available date in 1972, arising from accidents.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe numbers of fatal accidents notified from construction sites were:
1969 265 1970 203 1971 196 The provisional figure for the nine months to 30th September, 1972 is 149.
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§ Mr. Urwinasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people killed and injured in the last three years, and to the latest date in 1972, as a result of accidents in the course of bridge construction.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe numbers of notified accidents—with included fatalities in brackets—associated with construction work on bridges were:
1969 663 (4) 1970 600 (7) 1971 408 (2) The provisional figure for the nine months ending 30th September, 1972 is 214 (3).
§ Mr. Urwinasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the separate figures of killed and injured workpeople arising from accidents directly relating to the collapse of bridges under construction involving the box girder design.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithOne bridge under construction involving the box girder design has collapsed in the United Kingdom. This was at Milford Haven on 2nd June, 1970. Four men were killed and six injured.
§ Mr. Urwinasked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from the construction industry on the subject of bridge design and construction since he assumed office; and what replies he has given.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithMy right hon. Friend's responsibility is for the safety of men employed in construction work. He has not received any general representations on this subject, but we have
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Edinburgh Leith Portobello Scotland United Kingdom 1970 January 3,675 1,467 643 72,409 536,392 June 3,531 1,337 615 64,197 459,077 November 3,784 1,387 748 73,715 500,033 1971 January 4,530 1,766 801 86,512 582,149 June 4,464 1,777 887 89,737 592,779 November 4,695 1,921 937 101,955 708,504 1972 January 5,403 2,078 1,044 112,187 782,465 June 4,472 1,740 821 94,926 647,717 November (provisional) 4,432 1,663 827 91,720 630,065 recently been in correspondence with the operatives' secretary of the Civil Engineering Construction Conciliation Board and I have agreed to meet him.
§ Mr. Urwinasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to maximise the safety of workpeople employed on bridge construction in Great Britain.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithA special survey was recently put on foot to get information, on a national basis, about all concrete bridges under construction in which falsework was being used. The resulting information is being studied by construction engineering specialists at headquarters, who have also paid visits to selected sites. Further, a clearing organisation has been set up to give advice on problems connected with safety and false-work. This has been publicised through the principal employers' organisations and the national and trade Press, and a large number of inquiries have been dealt with.