16 February 2017
Build UK Commits to Tackling Illegal Working in Construction
Build UK has published guidance to assist the construction industry in safeguarding against illegal working.
Every employer is responsible for carrying out comprehensive right to work checks on potential employees in order to prevent illegal working, with both employers and employees running the risk of financial penalties and convictions in cases of non-compliance.
The Build UK Preventing Illegal Working in Construction Guidance Note, which has been developed with support from the Home Office, provides information to help employers ensure that they take the necessary steps to verify that their workers have the right to work in the UK, prior to employing them. It also includes clarification on the responsibilities of each employer, a step-by-step guide to conducting right to work checks and further examples of best practice for Clients, Main Contractors and Sub Contractors to prevent illegal working.
By following Build UK’s guidance, employers can ensure that their workforce is legally permitted to undertake employment on their construction sites. By sharing best practice and promoting a consistent approach to conducting right to work checks, we can reinforce construction as a progressive and responsible industry.
The latest guidance joins the Build UK Training Standard, which helps contractors assess workers competence and eligibility to work on-site, and Safety Helmet Colours Standard, which uses a colour coded approach to identifying personnel, in promoting a safe on-site environment that ensures workers are qualified and legally permitted to work.