INDUSTRY NEWS 5
NHBC says registrations were up 9pc year-on-year in January
Government pressed for major work at height review
A major review of “work at height culture” has been called for in a new report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), pressing Government to expand enhanced reporting, and introduce reporting on near misses. The report, ‘Staying Alive: Preventing
Serious Injury and Fatalities while Working at Height,’ is the result of a 12 month inquiry from the APPG, exploring why the 18 per cent of people who die at work do so as a result of a fall from height, and considering the steps that could be taken by Government and the industry to prevent incidents for the 10 million people in the UK that work at height. Four primary recommendations to reduce the overall number of falls were noted in the report:
• The introduction of an enhanced report- ing system through RIDDOR
Figures have revealed that a total of 12,677 new homes were registered by UK house- builders and developers at the start of 2019, an increase of 9 per cent compared to January 2018. As reported by the NHBC, 8,931 were
registered in the private sector (9,214 in 2018), with 3,746 homes registered in the affordable sector (2,469 in 2018). For the “rolling quarter” between November and January, 38,611 new homes were registered compared to 37,990 a year ago – an increase of 2 per cent. During this period there were 26,668 new homes regis- tered in the private sector (28,509 in 2017/18: down 6 per cent) and 11,943 in the affordable sector (9,481 in 2017/18: up 26 per cent).
Seven out of the 12 UK regions report- edly experienced growth in registrations during this period – notably Northern Ireland (up 65 per cent), Wales (up 20 per cent) and the South East (up 19 per cent). Commenting on the company’s first new home figures of 2019, NHBC chief execu- tive Steve Wood said: “As a standalone month, the January figures show some solid growth, with a particularly good uplift in the affordable sector. “However, it is clear that Brexit uncer- tainties are affecting the private sector, and this will impact the months ahead. NHBC will continue to work to help the industry face these challenges and to keep the focus on the quality of new homes.”
• The appointment of an independent body that allows confidential, enhanced and digital reporting of all near misses to be shared with Government and industry to inform health and safety policy
• The extension of Working Well Together - Working Well at Height safety campaigns
• An equivalent system to Scotland’s Fatal Accident Inquiry process
Alison Thewliss, chair of the APPG on
Working at Height and MP for Glasgow Central, commented: “Every fall from height can have life-altering conse- quences for workers and their families. There is an urgent need to improve work at height culture, yet this issue is sadly not at the top of decision-makers’ agenda. A lack of empirical data prevents us from understanding the root causes of falls from height. This is compounded by a cultural obstacle when it comes to supporting people to report unsafe practices.” She added: “We have made comprehen-
sive recommendations to government, but the APPG’s work does not stop here. Our report must be the first step in a wider process of systematic and cultural change.” The APPG is now calling for a further
period of consultation and a major review of work at height culture, including how to engage with difficult to reach sectors, the suitability of financial penalties, and the role of digital technologies.
‘Urgent’ call for new UK rural strategy
A group of rural services providers and community organisations across England have urged the Government to produce a new rural strategy guide for developments ahead of Brexit. The Rural Services Network’s call is the
result of concerns that “deep-seated challenges to the sustainability of rural communities and service delivery in rural areas” have been “inadequately addressed by those in power for too long.” In acknowledgement of the numerous
challenges faced by rural areas, the Network has produced a report identify- ing several priority areas for a new Government Rural Strategy and the issues they must address. These include:
• EU support and funding • Broadband connectivity • The ‘brain drain’ of people from rural areas to urban-based jobs
• House prices • Transport • Healthcare
The group said: “After years of an inade-
quate rural policy framework exacerbated by public sector austerity, the Government must produce a new strategy for rural areas which ensures existing mainstream policies work for these towns and villages, addresses the ‘brain drain,’ improves infra- structure and transport links, and raises the opportunities and challenges facing rural areas up the political agenda ahead of the next spending review.” It states that 17 per cent (9.4 million) of
England’s population live in rural areas – more people than in Greater London – but receive less grant funding per head than urban areas, despite the fact that it costs more to provide their services. In 2018/19, for example, urban authorities will report- edly receive 49.43 per cent (£123) per head in Settlement Funding Assessment grant more than their rural counterparts. Rural Services Network chief executive,
Graham Biggs, commented: “Rural Communities are frequently overlooked in a policy environment dominated by urban thinking and policy concerns. This often means communities either miss out on the benefits or experience unintended conse- quences from policies which are poorly thought-through from a rural perspective. “It is time for this ‘rural mainstreaming’
to stop. People living in our towns and villages simply cannot afford to wait any longer.”
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