Construction launches Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy at Sector Summit

The Minister for Industry has launched the Construction Leadership Council’s Health Safety and Wellbeing Strategy, at a summit attended by sector leaders.

The Strategy brings together the Health and Safety Executive, Construction Industry Advisory Committee, Mates in Mind and firms across the supply chain, from Tier 1s through to SMEs, product manufacturers and merchants.

It will work in partnership with these organisations and the wider industry to co-ordinate, oversee and deliver the strategy, ensuring we have a healthier, safer and more resilient industry, that retains existing colleagues and attracts new talent. This work will be overseen by a newly-established CLC Health, Safety and Wellbeing Group, which will measure progress through industry-wide health and safety performance data. This Group will report to the CLC Board.

The CLC is keen to ensure that all parts of the sector can contribute to the strategy’s implementation

Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council said: “As leaders in the built environment and construction sector, we all have a responsibility to our workforce to improve the safety, health and wellbeing of our people.

“The Government has set out its clear intent to invest in homes, the energy transition and infrastructure, we must all rise to that challenge and raise our game so everyone goes home safe, well and feels supported every day".

Industry Minister and CLC Co-chair Sarah Jones said: “Getting Britain building again is vital to our mission to build 1.5 million homes and grow the economy. That’s why better health, safety and wellbeing for construction workers through forward- thinking initiatives like this are important to ensure the industry gets the talent it needs, and supports them.

“Government is boosting recruitment through improving workers’ rights and investing in skills, and our modern Industrial Strategy has set out the scale of ambition we have for the long term future of this vital sector.”

Sarah Newton, Chair of HSE, said: “We welcome this strategy and hope it will help the construction industry put the same focus on preventing ill health as it has done on preventing injuries.

“The CLC has been a key strategic partner in helping our mission to Protect People and Places, together we have a great opportunity to improve health and safety in construction, an industry that is key in delivering the housing and infrastructure we need for growth. We look forward to its members turning this strategy into action.”