Date of article: 30/07/2007
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Peter Hain said this would involve employers, trade unions and other organisations in construction and will take place in September.
Describing any rise in fatalities as not only shocking, but as completely unnacceptable, the Secretary of State said: "It is vital that everyone involved in the construction industry puts health and safety first, everyone from clients to employers, designers to suppliers, large construction firms right down to the smallest builders."
There were 77 fatal injuries in the year 2006/07, equivalent to a rate of 3.7 per 100,000 workers. Last year, there were 60 deaths at a far lower rate of 3.0 per 100,000. This represents a 2.8% rise.
The number of self-employed workers killed has risen sharply from 17 last year to 27, while deaths of full time employees rose from 43 last year to 50 in 2006/07.
In addittion, seven members of the public were fatally injured on construction sites.
Mr Hain said that he had asked the Health and Safety Commission and Executive to redouble their efforts to drive improvements within the construction industry.
With the Prime Minister's commitment to build three million new homes over the next few years and large scale developments such as the Olympics, the industry and Government must work together to ensure the health and safety of construction workers is put first, he concluded.
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