Covering the risk on a construction site requires serious thought, and the risks are endless. From practical risks such as scaffolding and equipment, to issues around worker competency and training, the challenges facing construction insurers are great.

Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive in 2007 to 2008 show a major injury rate of 302.9 per 100,000 employees, significantly higher than the average rate of 82.9 across all service industries. Yet the industry is perceived as being unresponsive to the issue, particularly at the lower end of the contractor chain.

This year, the equivalent of one worker per week has died on a construction site. General deaths and injuries have fallen recently, but these statistics can be partially attributed to the slow down the industry has faced as the recession blights the sector.

The focus on a long-term effort to reduce accidents on construction sites will be of great interest to insurers, which often find they bear the financial brunt through employer's and public liability claims.