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The hearts and minds of workers and employers in the construction industry have to be won if the industry is to get its fatal injuries rate back down again, leading figures have concluded.

The Construction Industry Strategic Response Forum met at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) to discuss how the industry can improve safety, following this year's 28% increase, and five-year high, of 77 fatalities.

Representatives from organisations including the Construction Federation, ConstructionSkills, IOSH's Construction Specialist Group, UCATT and the Association for Project Safety attended the meeting, calling for more information on the causes of fatalities.

John Lacey, IOSH Construction Specialist Group chairman said: "The loss of life reported by this year's statistics was appaling and the industry really has got to pull its socks up if we're to get back on track. It is imperative that we find answers to stop such a terrible death toll in future.

"One of the key things that came out of the meeting was that we have to engage more effectively with everyone in the construction industry. We have to win hearts and minds, and we have to be more effective in communicating why it's important to stay safe at work.

"Members of the group feel that there is a need for more information on each of the fatalities from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to help the industry learn from its mistakes. Just classifying something as an 'electrocution' death for instance, leaves us guessing on far too many factors. We need to know clearly how each of these accidents ocured in order to prevent them happening again."

Other suggestions put forward by the group included:

- a compulsory register of businesses and workers within the industry
- naming and shaming companies involved in accidents
- greater engagement with politicians
- a government/industry engagement programme
- a minimum level of qualifications and experience for health and safety advisers in the industry

The group will be seeking to meet soon with the HSE's chief inspector, Stephen Williams, to discuss the issues raised and to form a common approach to them.

For more information visit www.iosh.co.uk

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