Time To End Death In The Workplace

Mr Tony Killeen, Irish Minister for Labour Affairs speaking at the IOSH Interconstruct Conference “Success built on failure” said “the time had arrived when all those engaged in the construction sector took responsibility and played their part in ending death and injury in their workplaces”.

The two day international conference is being attended by representatives from the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) and Canadian Society of Safety Engineers (CSSE), along with speakers from other areas of construction. The Minister said “last year 23 people lost their lives on Irish construction sites; so far this year 9 have died. While this is an improvement on figures for this time last year it is still 9 deaths too many. I am committed to ensuring rigorous enforcement to bring about change in the health and safety record of our workplaces. It is also crucial that one of our economy’s most important sectors maintains a healthy, safe and vibrant workforce. Minister Killeen pointed out that Occupational safety and health legislation is being modernised to support the task of greater enforcement. “The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 which commenced almost a year ago sets the scene for achieving further improvements in the national record on safety and health over the next few decades”, he said.

“The primary focus of this Act is 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 significantly increased fines and penalties aimed at deterring the minority who continue to flout safety and health laws.

“Shortly I will introduce new Regulations specifically for the Construction Sector. These will build on requirements in existing regulations and clarify roles in relation to design and management of construction projects. The regulations have been the subject of extensive consultation both by public forum and through the tripartite structure of the Health & Safety Authority. I’d like to commend the Authority, the social partners and the professional bodies in particular for their participation in development of these regulations. I firmly believe that consultation is invaluable in developing and fostering acceptance of good legislation”, Minister Killeen added. (CD)