Plea to construction firms over site deaths
Irish construction firms must play a bigger role in ending death and injury on building sites, it was claimed today.
A total of 23 people lost their lives in nationwide construction projects last year while nine have died so far in 2005.
Labour Affairs Minster Tony Killeen today told an international conference that he remains committed to enforcing new changes in the health and safety record of Irish workplaces.
He said he will also be issuing new regulations on the design and management of all construction projects.
Mr Killeen said: “It is also crucial that one of our economy’s most important sectors maintains a healthy, safe and vibrant workforce.”
Today’s two-day Institution of Occupational Health and Safety conference heard speakers from the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers (CSSE).
Minister Killeen pointed out that occupational safety and health legislation continues to be modernised in Ireland.
He said the primary focus of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 was to encourage a responsible attitude on the part of both employers and employees to cultivate a culture of prevention of accidents and illnesses in the workplace.
The Act also provides for increased fines and penalties aimed at deterring the minority who continue to flout safety and health laws, he said.
