Skanska used blacklisting database for health and safety reasons, says HR director

Building firm Skanska used an illegal blacklist of construction workers to vet employees for a history of violence and drug or alcohol abuse, an internal investigation has revealed.

Harvey Francis, executive vice-president for HR, told PM that it had subscribed to the list, which contained confidential details of 3,213 construction workers, “to ensure the safety of people working on our sites” – not to blacklist people on the grounds of trade union membership as reported in the press.
 

Language does not simply reflect what is going on in organisational life: it also influences what people think and what they do

Linda Holbeche, director of the Holbeche Partnership and visiting professor of HRM/OD at Cass Business School