The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) is delighted to become a signatory to the Tackling Diabetes Safety Charter.
As one of the fastest growing epidemics in the UK today, 1 in 12 people of working age have diabetes, and a quarter of those with diabetes do not know they have the condition.
Diabetes creates significant safety risks in the workplace – extreme blood glucose levels can cause someone to lose coordination, concentration, become dizzy and in worst cases, lose consciousness. This can cause accidents, falls and vehicle collisions, and on a construction site, such accidents can be fatal.
CECA takes the health, safety and well-being of our members seriously. We are delighted to sign the charter, in partnership with the Diabetes Safety Organisation (DSO), as the first step towards making the civil engineering sector ‘Diabetes Safe.’
Commenting, CECA National Civil Engineering Director Peter Crosland, who is also the Chair of the HSE CONIAC Tackling Ill Health Working Group, said: “CECA and the Diabetes Safety Organisation have been working closely over the past 18 months to help raise the profile of diabetes in construction.
“Given that there are over 3 million workers in our industry means that there could be more than 250,000 workers who have diabetes and by 2030 this could reach 300,000.
“Through our regional and national networks, we hope to be able to reach out to as many organisations as possible, asking them to sign up to the Charter being launched today and to follow their own Diabetes Safe Journey”.
Kate Walker, CEO of the DSO, said: “It is good to see that CECA recognise that preventing diabetes should be a key priority for the infrastructure sector – in addition to the wellbeing and safety concerns, diabetes can impact on productivity in the workplace, and over 300,000 hours are lost a month from the condition.
“CECA’s involvement in raising diabetes awareness will hopefully address one of the key factors that affects productivity in construction”.
If you would like further information on diabetes safety in the workplace, please contact Kate Walker on kate@diabetessafety.org in the first instance.
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PRESS RELEASE – CECA Signs Up To The Tackling Diabetes Safety Charter – Immed. 11 January 2023