Constructive

[THIS ISSUE of Construction National has somewhat of an international feel – specifically within our regular round-up of work at height issues. The trade body for the access and scaffolding industry, NASC, and its training and qualifications arm CISRS have been busy taking their collective experience in working at height safely to fellow organisations as far afield as Qatar and Australia.

• It’s more than a tad ironic, then, that the very regulations those trade bodies have relied upon to ensure safe working at height are at risk of being jettisoned as part of a ‘Bonfire Bill’ of EU regulations. If the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill passes as proposed, the Work at Height Regulations will join thousands of other EU laws to be automatically repealed at the end of December.

The NASC expresses its opposition and explains why. It is just one health and safety body to be alarmed at the Cavalier attitude of the government to rules that have seen fatal falls decline from 67 to 29 per year, as we reported in the last issue.

• The Work at Height Regulations are just a few of the health and safety laws that stand to be ‘sunsetted’ – as the process is being dubbed – if the rearguard action in the Lords fails. Although the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act will survive, as it predates EU regulations in the UK, a host of ancillary measures will cease to be law. They include the CDM Regulations and COSHH, as IOSH explains.

• One of the regulations that may survive is the Duty to Manage Asbestos. That, however, is a regime that is itself in urgent need of overhaul, according to a report from the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association (ATaC) and National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants (NORAC).

Over one million instances of suspected asbestos in buildings were recorded, of which around 80% contained asbestos. Worryingly, two thirds contained damaged asbestos –potentially causing a hazard to anyone working or living in the building.

• As if the accidental exposure of the public to asbestos were not enough to worry about, the case in Greater Manchester of a so-called contractor carrying out asbestos removal in domestic premises with neither the appropriate licence nor any regard to the lethal consequences of such activity is positively frightening. Fortunately, the HSE has taken one such ne’er-do-well off the streets.

• Criminal activity of another kind was also brought to light recently – this time in Lancashire – with the sentencing of a gang involved in the theft, disguising and resale of over £1m worth of plant. The deception was so successful that most of the stolen plant was passed off as legitimate to buyers with established reputations in the business. They even charged VAT!

• The police are not inactive in helping to preserve the rule of law within the industry. Developers can now access a new version of the guidance for housing developers from Secured by Design. From lighting schemes to road layouts, the scheme has been helping cut crime in new developments since 1989. The new guide was launched at a joint conference between Secured by Design and ATLAS, the specialist access and lightning protection trade body. q

Chris Stokes Editor, Construction National