New brooms

The new government seems intent on revolutionising the landscape for architects. Garden grabbing we’ve already talked about. The Regional Spatial Strategies are to go we understand. Home Information Packs have already gone (along with all the poor souls who retrained to compile them) and now we hear from Lord Young that much Health & Safety legislation is to be replaced by lavish application of good old common sense.



Does this spell the end of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations? Responsible for a 200% increase in paperwork and less than a 20% improvement in safety in construction projects (yes, I have made those figures up), many would not be sad to see the back of them. Arguably they have performed the function of drawing attention to the problem by now. Those that have come to understand the need for improvement have changed their ways. Those that never will understand the need see CDM as something to be got round.

The majority of construction sites of any size are today a million miles better than they were twenty five years ago. Many small ones are pretty much the same. The virtual collapse of a large part of our industry, thanks to the recession, will have done more to set back the cause of health and safety in building than a decision to cut back on red tape. Common sense thrives in a fertile, well drained mix of experience, training, job opportunities and fair profit levels. It tends to wither when deprived of nutrients like anything else.

A client intent on squeezing the last bit of life from a contractor desperate to survive will hopefully get what he deserves; unfortunately the contractor and his staff may get more than they deserve. And if the general public get caught up, the HSE (even with a reduced budget) will not listen to lame excuses.