Construction union UCATT have warned that the Young Review on health and safety must not act as a forerunner to further Government attacks on safety legislation.

Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "This report was a waste of time and money. Lord Young has failed to grasp why safety legislation is so vital in dangerous industries such as construction. If he had he would be demanding greater resources to protect workers and to tighten existing legislation."

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UCATT are concerned that the report Common Sense Common Safety recommends a loosening of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). Research has been found that just 32% of reportable injuries of employees and 12% of reportable injuries suffered by the self-employed were recorded under RIDDOR.

Mr Ritchie, added: "The problem in construction is that injuries are not properly recorded making it incredibly difficult to accurately assess the risks workers face. Rather than recommending weakening the regulations, Lord Young should have examined how the existing rules can be adequately enforced."

UCATT also believes that Lord Young has failed to grasp his brief by making suggestions such as all existing health and safety legislation should be condensed into one document. Such recommendations are entirely unworkable.

(CD/GK)