The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) has accused construction union UCATT of “missing the point” over its claims that construction recruitment agencies have been flouting health & safety rules.

The union claimed yesterday that it had exposed a growing problem of employment agencies ignoring safety laws on protective equipment and is now calling for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to take action on the matter.

UCATT said its officials have become increasingly alarmed that many employment agencies require construction workers to supply their own personal protective equipment or alternatively charge the worker if they supply it.

Quoting 1992 safety regulations the union said the regulations say: “Personal protective equipment (PPE) is to be supplied and used at work wherever there are risks to health & safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways” and “an employer cannot ask for money from an employee for PPE, whether it is returnable or not.”

But Tom Hadley, the REC’s director of policy and professional services hit back, saying: “Claims made by UCATT seem to have missed the point that many people working in construction are self-employed and, under the current regulations, would be expected to provide their own PPE along with the tools of their trade.

“In a demand-led industry like construction, being self-employed, for the vast majority of the workforce, is a matter of choice.

“Our ongoing work with bodies like the HSE and our members speaks volumes about our commitment to health & safety regulations.

“We have never denied that occasionally there are examples of bad practice, which is exactly why the REC sits on committees like the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC), along with UCATT, to help eliminate these poor practices.

“We welcome complaints from workers and employers through our complaints procedure if they are concerned about the actions of any REC members. These issues are investigated and action taken if we believe that our Code of Professional Conduct has been broken.

“The REC and its dedicated Construction group are more than happy to meet with UCATT and discuss how to promote health & safety regulations to the industry.”