Cross border initiative to tackle deaths in construction

A North-South initiative to tackle the serious problem of fatal accidents in the construction sector has been launched today.

The initiative follows the release of figures which revealed that 220 workers have been killed in last 10 years across the island of Ireland.

In the ten years from 1993, 173 deaths have occurred in the South, and 47 in Northern Ireland with almost half (98) resulting from falls from heights. Already this year, nine people have lost their lives while working in construction-related activities.

The figures have emerged as a result of an analysis carried out by a new cross-border working group drawn from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and the Health & Safety Authority in the South. It is hoped that by sharing expertise in the area, the two Authorities can develop joint initiatives aimed at reducing the number of these tragic accidents this year and beyond.

One of the first such initiatives will be a major campaign on falls from heights, which will be officially launched later this month. During the campaign, which is part of a Europe wide initiative sponsored by the EU Committee of Senior Labour Inspectors both Authorities will carry out an inspection blitz in June, and senior inspectors North and South are warning that poor safety standards will not be tolerated.

Jim Heffernan, Senior Inspector with the Health & Safety Authority in the Republic said:

"We will be intensifying our inspection rate in the first two weeks of June, and where we see poor safety standards, we will not turn a blind eye. Contractors should be in no doubt that where we see breaches, we will use our statutory powers to ensure they are addressed, and if that entails requiring an immediate stoppage of work, then that is what we will do."

Ken Logan, Principal Inspector, HSENI added: "HSENI will serve Prohibition Notices, and stop work activity that is dangerous rather than waiting until the tragic accident occurs. We will not hesitate to prosecute those contractors whose name appears too often on a Prohibition Notice".

(MB)