Minister Killeen addresses Construction Safety Summit
Construction Safety Summit at the Alexander Hotel, Wednesday May 24th 2006
Statement by Mr Tony Killeen, TD, Minister of State for Labour Affairs
Mr. Tony Killeen, TD, Minister for Labour Affairs, today delivered the opening address at the Construction Safety Summit, which was jointly organised by the Construction Industry Federation, Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Health & Safety Authority. The Minister stressed the need to “renew commitment to reduce workplace deaths and injury in the sector” in the face of a rise in fatalities on Irish construction sites in the last year. In 2005, 23 people lost their lives in accidents on construction sites; this puts the Construction Industry second only to the agricultural sector as the most dangerous place to work.
Minister Killeen signalled the imminent delivery of the awaited Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations. These regulations have been subject to a comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation during the drafting process at the Health & Safety Authority. The regulations are expected to be signed into law in the next 2-3 months. The Minister cautioned that the new regulations will tighten controls to ensure that existing loopholes are closed and that no offenders escape from the rigours of the law.
Minister Killeen urged the industry to face new challenges to occupational health and safety. “We must also take account of the changes in the workplace arising from use of new technologies, the growing number of non-Irish national workers on work sites, through the increasingly mobile nature of the workforce and the changing nature of the accidents and injuries suffered on sites to name but a few”. In 2005, the Construction Sector employed over 240,000 workers, an increase of 70,000 on 2001 figures, and erected almost 81,000 homes. The Minister expressed concern that “a whole new set of problems” was emerging from this success and suggested that the industry now had the opportunity to be the first to formalise a Joint Safety Agreement under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005.
On-the-spot fines are also set to be introduced by regulations currently being prepared by the Health & Safety Authority. These regulations are expected before the Board of the Authority in the coming months. The Minister called on the Authority to be in a state of preparedness to administer this new system.
Minister Killeen also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the unions for their work in raising health and safety awareness in the work place: “I want to pay a special tribute to both ICTU and SIPTU, each of whom have put in place a very impressive safety awareness programme for the men and women who work every day at the forefront of the industry”. Acknowledgement was also made of the contribution of the Construction Safety Partnership to the development and implementation of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2001.
ENDS
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Notes for Editors
Construction Safety Partnership
Since 1999, the Construction Safety Partnership (CSP) has provided a forum for innovative developments in tackling fatality and accidents rates in the high-risk construction sector. The most recent work programme of the Partnership concluded in 2005. It is expected that today’s summit will deal with proposals for a revised role appropriate to the changing construction environment.
The Construction Safety Partnership was established in 1999 with a view to improving worker safety and reducing the level of accidents and fatalities. The Partnership includes members from Government Departments, the Social Partners, the Health & Safety Authority and professional bodies. A number of initiatives have been put in place:
Basic training has been provided to over 350,000 people in the form of the mandatory Safe Pass card scheme which educates construction workers on basic elements of risk awareness, personal protection and avoidance of health hazards.
Site managers and safety representatives have also received training for their respective roles.
Site induction has also become mandatory.
A number of high-risk occupations in the industry have been set apart for specific training under the Construction Skills Certification Scheme.
Legislation
The industry has been awaiting new Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations, due to be signed into law this year. These regulations have been subject to a comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation during the drafting process at the Health & Safety Authority. It is hoped that this extensive consultation, which has delayed the delivery of the regulations, will lead to greater acceptance of the legislation when it emerges from the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government in the next 2-3 months.
- ENDS
Last modified: 24/05/2006
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