Health
Healthand
andSafety
Safety
Executive
Executive
Competence in
Construction
An Update
Russell Adfield,
HSE Construction Sector
Background
•
July 2013 – Government launched the UK
Industrial Strategy for Construction
•
Pye Tait research report, ‘Competence in
Construction’ published in September 2014.
Recommendations included;
•
agree an industry-wide Framework for
Competence by the UK construction
industry; and
•
establish a new Construction Competence
Council, to development the framework.
Industry response
•
A “framework” for competence appears to
have support in the sector (with some
caveats).
•
The need for a Construction Competence
Council was not widely accepted.
•
Construction Leadership Council
suggested that industry decide upon and
make the case for a competence
framework
Regulatory response – CDM 2015
•
Components of competence
included in the new Regs
•
Individuals
– Skills, knowledge,
experience and training
•
Body corporate
– Organisational capability
A clearer and more flexible
approach
2015 Developments
•
Industry competence conference in Dec
2014 generally supported development of
a framework
•
CLC February 2015 encouraged industry
to make the case for a framework once
the issue of the Competence Council was
set aside
•
Important to appreciate that competence
is more than health and safety (skills etc)
2015 Developments
•
•
Purdah, election and a new Government
•
Government wants industry to determine
its priority issues and lead improvements
•
Clarity on direction of travel and the
institutions to deliver yet to be confirmed
Skills, resources, productivity and growth
is the focus
Why support a framework?
•
Set out the principles which will help construction
managers make judgements of an individuals competence
•
Ensure consistency of approach across sectors, and work
activities,
•
Help SME’s identify the right training to match their
work/risk profile
•
Drive further the inclusion of situational awareness, self
awareness, risk awareness and communication skills in
training and qualifications
An all industry approach is needed
• Buy in is needed from the widest range of stakeholders
• Leadership needs to be determined with the sign up of
all industry sectors
• Development of a competence framework should take
account of the wider skills and productivity agenda
• The CLC door remains open to proposals on the
Framework that show a clear mandate from the
industry
• The CLC view this as separate however to the
decision, supported by the Strategic Forum, that the
CSCS logo is the preferred industry recognised logo for
construction card schemes.