Heather Bryant
Construction safety chief able to call on extra 300 staff to address the problem of falls
The HSE’s new chief inspector for construction is planning to call on double the number of inspectors in a bid to reduce construction fatalities.
Heather Bryant, who took over from Philip White in April, is to marshal 300 extra general HSE inspection staff based in 39 regional offices, specifically to tackle the problem of falls from height. This will more than double the resources she has had at her disposal to inspect sites.
“I want to make more progress in three years, in terms of reducing accidents, than we might have made in a decade,” Bryant told CM. Asked for how long these extra resources would be deployed, she said: “For as long as it takes.”
The latest HSE fatality figures for 2011/12, due to be published early in July, are expected to show that 49 construction workers died in this period and one member of the public. This is marginally down on 2010/11, in which 50 construction workers died and two members of the public. “Although there is a slight improvement, they are still totally unacceptable,” Bryant noted.
She also set out the division’s strategy for 2013/14 — an extension of the previous three-year plan. Under the strategy, Bryant revealed that the HSE will:
- Direct more of its inspection effort to small sites, where 70% of the fatalities occur.
- Have a campaign in the autumn targeting refurbishment projects rather than wait until the traditional February blitz, and repeat these campaigns if standards are found to be poor.
- Provide more guidance on working on fragile roofs.
- Target local issues, such as the development of basements in London, where she said conditions and health and safety were often very poor resulting in falls from heights and breathing difficulties.
But Bryant would not be drawn on the substance of proposed changes to the CDM regulations, where the HSE is carrying out a major review. “We are moving forward with that and are on track to implement in the autumn of 2014. We expect to begin a 12-week consultation in late summer.”
"When the economy begins to grow we want to ensure that accidents and ill health don’t go up, which can happen coming out of a recession because skills have been lost."
Heather Bryant
In terms of the new fees for intervention scheme, whereby companies found to be breaching health and safety laws are charged for the inspector’s time, Bryant said that of the 5,700 invoices that had gone out, 27% were in construction. The highest number were in the manufacturing sector.
Bryant has worked at HSE for 25 years, most recently as divisional director for London, the south east and east of England. She now heads a division of 260 specialist inspectors, policy officials and support staff. She graduated in 1985 in biological sciences from the University of Warwick and joined HSE after a spell in industry.
She becomes HSE’s second female chief inspector of construction, after Sandra Caldwell. Her predecessor, Philip White, now leads HSE’s operational strategy division, which oversees waste, recycling, agriculture and manufacturing.
Bryant is keen to emphasise the need to work in partnership with the sector and cut back on bureaucracy. “We need to work closely with the industry. If we pool knowledge, we can achieve much more.
“When the economy begins to grow we want to ensure that accidents and ill health don’t go up, which can happen coming out of a recession because skills have been lost.”
Bryant is determined to reduce fatalities in construction, and will target local issues such as London basements
