A new UK health & safety course for construction safety managers has received the full backing of 12 of the UK’s top construction firms. The Major Contractors Group (MCG), comprising 12 large UK contractors, has requested all supervisors on their sites to attend the new health and safety training course set out by ConstructionSkills, the sector’s skills council.

ConstructionSkills say the two-day site supervisors’ safety training scheme covers welfare and environmental issues, and is designed to give supervisors a better understanding of current legislation applying to site activities.

Site safety supervisors have two years to obtain the qualification, which will be part of the ConstructionSkills' Site Safety Plus (SSP) package of courses. After this time, MCG member companies will adopt a zero-tolerance policy on all their sites.

This announcement is being welcomed as a strong indication of the MCG’s greater commitment to health and safety training, and it will result in thousands of supervisors undertaking the course by 2010. Certification for the course will be valid for five years after which training must be undertaken again.

The SSP programme will be delivered across the UK through 130 approved training providers.
The Major Contractors Group (MCG) represents the UK's large construction companies. Members carry out over £20 billion worth of construction work each year.

MCG member companies include:

• Bovis Lend Lease Ltd,
• Costain Group Plc,
• Galliford Try Plc,
• HBG Construction Ltd
• Kier Group Plc
• Morgan Sindall Plc
• Shepherd Group
• Skanska UK Plc
• Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd
• The Miller Group Ltd
• VINCI Plc
• Wates Group Ltd