9 June 2011

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) Health and Safety Panel has been working with Atkins, as the founding member of the Consultants Health and Safety Forum, the Construction Clients’ Group and the Health and Safety Executive to deliver guidelines which will show construction industry professionals how to engage with their clients on the importance of demonstrating leadership in health and safety on their projects.

The booklet, entitled Client Leadership on Health and Safety, will be distributed across the UK and internationally via the members of the Consultants Health and Safety Forum to their operations in the Middle East, North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Richard Hulland, Atkins’ Group Director of QSE (Quality Safety Environmental) said: ‘These guidelines will prompt an open and honest dialogue with our clients at the early stages of a project which is an important aspect of risk management. A proactive client with the right attitude, behaviour and interest for health and safety can have a positive impact on a project in reducing the number of serious accidents, increasing near miss reporting and increasing awareness of unsafe behaviour on site.’

Client Leadership on Health and Safety is available for download from: www.cic.org.uk/activities/hands.shtml