§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers have been killed in the construction industry in England and Wales in each of the past five years to the latest date.
§ Mr. GummerInformation is given for reported fatal injuries for 1978–82. Figures for 1983 are not yeat available.
441W
Fatalities to workers in the construction industry, 1978–82—England and Wales Employees Self-employed* 1978 108 26 1979 103 17 1980 118 29 1981 83 14 1982 83 17 * Before 1981, fatalities to the self-employed were reported on a voluntary basis only. They are therefore not comparable with figures for 1981 and 1982 which are based on reports resulting from a specific requirement under the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the standards of health and safety in the construction industry in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerThe number of fatal and other accidents in the construction industry in England and Wales continues to be of concern to the Health and Safety Commission, its construction industry advisory committee—CONIAC—and the Health and Safety Executive.
The industry itself has recognised that a fundamental change in attitude is required if there are to be any lasting improvements in standards. To this end CONIAC initiated a campaign, Site Safe 83, to increase the awareness of the industry and all those connected with it of the hazards and risks of the work they do. There has been considerable support from all sections of the industry, from construction companies large and small, employers' federations, trades unions, safety organisations, the insurance industry and individuals.
The HSE, principally through Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate, is giving full support to the campaign. In particular it is publishing guidance notes on scaffolding, demolition processes and the safe erection of structures, a quarterly Newsletter of which 40,000 copies are distributed free, and producing a film on the hazards of maintenance work which had its premiere last week.
It is hoped that the efforts being made by the industry in the Site Safe 83 campaign will lead to lasting improvements in standards in future years.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers have suffered (a) serious and (b) minor injuries in the construction industry in England and Wales in each of the past five years to the latest date.
§ Mr. GummerIn 1981—the only year for which information for England and Wales is readily available—there were an estimated 1,361 major injuries as formally defined in the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980 and 35,243 other injuries—involving absence from work of over three days—to employees in the construction industry reported to Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate. In addition, 27 major injuries to self-employed workers were reported. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him earlier today.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many health and safety inspectors were employed in the construction industry in England and Wales in November 1978 and at the latest available date.
442W
Date Sheffield (Industrial) Sheffield (Commercial) Firth Park Woodhouse Chapel Town Totals 1 April 1979 64 28 15 5½ 5 117½ 1 April 1980 69 16½ 10 4 3½ 103 1 April 1981 61 17 10 5 3½ 96½ 1 April 1982 57 19½ 11 6 4 97½ 25 November 1983 41 19 6 5½ 4 75½ Reductions have resulted from efficiency savings, including those made after the introduction of voluntary registration and the Rayner review of employment services.
§ Mr. GummerIn November 1978, 65 factory inspectors were employed on the inspection of construction work in England and Wales. On 1 November 1983 the number was 77.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to outlaw labour-only subcontracting in the construction industry in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerNo. We do not consider that such legislation would serve any useful purpose.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the current legislation on lump labour in the construction industry in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerWe are satisfied that current health and safety legislation regulates the activities of self-employed persons, which is what we understand the hon. Member means by "lump labour".
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were employed in the construction industry in England and Wales at the latest available date; and what were the figures for June 1979.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIn June 1983, the latest date for which the information is available, the provisional number of employees in employment in the construction industry in England and Wales was 844,000. The corresponding number in June 1979 was 1,090,000.