§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the construction industry have been either killed or injured by accidents on building sites in both Dundee and Scotland in the past three years; and what steps he is taking to improve safety measures at building sites.
§ Mr. MayhewI am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that figures for workers in the construction industry who have been 299W killed or injured in Scotland are as follows:
(a) Accidents to employees reported under the Factories Act:
Deaths 1976 … … … 36 1977 … … … 21 1978† … … … 20 Injuries* 1976 … … … 5,108 1977 … … … 4,517 1978† … … … 4,550 These figures are the only consistent series for accidents in the construction industry.
(b) Some figures on a wider basis, including the self employed, are available for 1978and these show 23 deaths.
(c) Separate figures for persons injured are not available by local authority area. Of the fatal accidents listed in (a) above, figures for Dundee are as follows:
Deaths 1976 … … … … 1 1977 … … … … 2 1978 … … … … 1 *Injuries resulting in more than 3 days absence from normal work. †Figures for 1978 are provisional. As regards the steps being taken to improve safety measures, I refer the hon. Member to my replies to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 29 November, c. 737; 30 November, c. 810; and 3 December, c. 27–8.