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News Release from: Federation of Master Builders (FMB) | Subject: Roving Safety Reps
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 October 2003
Government's £3 Million For Roving
Safety Reps
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warmly welcomed the announcement by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Andrew Smith, to provide £3 million in funding for the Worker Safety Advisers.
The announcement follows the success of a nine-month pilot scheme last year funded by the Health and Safety Commission with 29 FMB member firms taking part With funding for the scheme secure for the next three years, advisers will visit sites around the country to offer health and safety representation and facilitate worker involvement, especially in small construction sites and workplaces
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 27 Jun 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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FMB director of external Affairs, Andrew Large, said: "The announcement is good news for the industry and for those who have been involved in trying to get the scheme off the ground.
The FMB members that took part in the pilot were enthusiastic about the scheme's potential." Those members made their views clear to Des Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Work and Pensions and HSE chief construction inspector Kevin Myers at last month's FMB conference when the Federation called on the Government to roll-out the scheme.
Speaking at the Labour Party Conference yesterday (2 October), the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced that £3 million would be made available over a period of three years for the WSA scheme's national roll-out.
The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has been entrusted with the responsibility for planning the roll-out.
Said Andrew Large: "The HSC is the right body to plan the roll-out of the scheme, but representatives from the employee and employer organisations that are directly involved will need to be brought in to oversee policy development and the operation of the scheme.
The FMB looks forward to continuing its involvement with the WSA scheme and participating in the management of the roll-out to help the scheme in its crucial early phase.".
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