Union argues two years is not long enough to assess effectiveness of safety measure in HSE consultation

The Unite union has hit out at the Health & Safety Executive鈥檚 plans to scrap regulations covering the safety of tower cranes, calling the move 鈥渞eckless and premature鈥�.

Earlier this month, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) closed its consultation over the proposed axing of the two-year-old tower crane register, which requires firms to notify it whenever a tower crane is erected and confirm that it has been thoroughly examined. The register is one of 14 regulations the HSE intends to scrap because they have 鈥渘o direct health and safety benefits鈥�.

However, in its response to the consultation, Unite said it was 鈥渟trongly opposed to the revocation鈥� of the regulations. The union said that the regulations had only been in place for two years, which was not enough time for a proper evaluation of their effectiveness.

It added that a 2011 HSE report on preventing 鈥渃atastrophic鈥� construction accidents raised ongoing concerns about the safety of tower cranes.

The union also disputed the HSE鈥檚 claims that the scheme was too expensive, arguing that the 拢175,000 cost was 鈥渕assively outweighed鈥� by the cost to 鈥渇amilies and society鈥� of the 17 deaths resulting from crane accidents since 2007.

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