Construction workers on the Crossrail tunnelling project are being subjected to "appalling" and "inadequate" working conditions by contractor ATC, according to union UCATT.

The organisation is calling for an independent inquiry to take place on health and workplace abuses at the scheme due to claims workers are being forced to work until they are physically exhausted, as well as undertaking work that is beyond them.

ATC, a joint venture (JV) between Alstom, TSO and Costain, was awarded the £300 million fit-out contract in 2013. Over 1,000 workers are employed by the JV on the tunnelling section of the Crossrail contract.

However, UCATT claims welfare facilities at the site are 'appalling' and fall far below accepted guidelines. Workers are forced to walk up to two miles underground in order to go to the toilet and canteen facilities are also entirely inadequate.

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A protest was held by the union outside the sites entrance on Thursday, 29 September over the poor welfare facilities and the failure of the contract's fingerprint recognition system, which has resulted in many of the workforce not being paid correctly for the work they have undertaken.

UCATT later received reports from workers who had spoken to demonstrators claiming that when they entered the site they were stopped and questioned by site management.

The union has now written to Sadiq Khan Mayor of London, Crossrail and the Health and Safety Executive urging them to undertake an "urgent" independent inquiry into the abuses occurring on the project.

Jerry Swain, UCATT London and the South East Regional Secretary, said: "Not only is this project a disgrace in its treatment of its workforce but there are now serious safety concerns. These issues should cause great alarm amongst ATC and Crossrail management. We need an urgent independent inquiry in order to investigate and end these abuses."

UCATT also revealed ATC is refusiing the give the organisation normal access to the workforce.

Mr Swain continued: "It's shameful that management at international construction companies, working on a major state-funded project, are going to extraordinary lengths to keep unions off site. It is like they have their own blacklist. There can be nothing more insulting than working a full shift, in difficult conditions in a tunnel, and then not getting paid."

(LM/CD)