The British Safety Council has released a short film featuring a construction apprentice; Construction risks: an apprentice’s view.
As more and more apprentices are taken on by British industry, it is vital that young people are provided with information to keep them healthy and safe at work. As a charity, the British Safety Council is committed to eliminating all occupational ill health and injury and the campaign Speak Up, Stay Safe seeks to raise young people’s awareness about workplace risks and what they should expect from employers.
“Film is an important campaign tool,” says Matthew Holder, campaigns manager at the British Safety Council. “They are really useful to show young people what good health and safety actually looks like. With the help of major London property developer St George PLC, we made the film Construction Risks in a documentary style to immerse the viewer in a modern, large construction site and bring home the message that health and safety is not a bit of red-tape but a very real part of any worker’s skill base. Construction is a priority sector for us, reflecting the hazardous nature of the occupation.
“The film follows a young construction apprentice around a site as we listen to him describe what precautions to take to stay safe and healthy. It is freely available and we hope that apprentices and employers or learning providers responsible for their training or induction will make use of it. Bottom up awareness by workers of their own and others’ health and safety is part of the solution to how we eradicate the scourge of senseless work-related injury and ill health.”
To find out about Speak Up, Stay Safe go to: www.britsafe.org/speakupstaysafe
