§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent initiatives have been taken by the Health and Safety Commission's construction industry advisory committee in establishing new improved standards for site health and safety.
§ Mr. ForthThe HSC's construction industry advisory committee has taken a number of recent initiatives to promote improved standards of health and safety in the construction industry. The main initiatives are
undertaking a comprehensive revision of guidance on the management of health and safety in construction projects. This will support forthcoming new Construction (Design and Management) Regulations which will place clear duties on clients, their professional advisers, designers, and contractors to bring about a coherent structure for managing health and safety;meeting professional institutions to encourage their greater involvement in health and safety matters, including improved training for the professions. A major conference is also planned for senior representatives of construction companies on the role of the professions under the proposed new legislation;a review of the use of heavy building blocks to produce guidance and consideration of a weight limit for manual handling above which mechanical assistance would be required;revising guidance on the safe use of site dumpers; and publishing a long-term strategy to give its effort clear direction while remaining sufficiently flexible to respond to important immediate issues.