A seminar entitled Building in Safety, was held at the Trade Fair Grounds yesterday as part of the European Week dedicated to raising safety awareness in the construction industry. This is the first in a series of activities organised by the OHSA to promote a better, safer working environment. Dr Drake explained that the focus on safety in construction will be carried through the whole year and hopefully those to come.

The construction industry accounted for 12 per cent of occupational accidents in last year’s statistics, said Dr Drake, and knowing that simple prevention could have helped avoid most of these accidents shows that more must be done in terms of awareness and enforcement.

There is an obvious high risk element within construction but this means that more measures should be taken to ensure safety, continued the OHSA chairman. Most accidents occur when a worker falls from a height while at work, due to unstable scaffolding or failing to wear a harness.

Dr Drake said that in an attempt to enforce safety in construction the OHSA will be carrying out spot inspections of sites, focusing on those who work on high structures. The authority will be enforcing regulations and will take legal action were necessary. Education and awareness is not enough, we need to take a firmer approach, she said.

Everyone must pull together to ensure safety at work – employers, contractors and the employees must work together with the authority to reach the necessary standards and reduce the number of accidents occurring within the construction industry, said Dr Drake.

Building Industry Consultative Council chairman Robert Musumeci later outlined the council’s role within the area of occupational health on construction sites.

Irish Health Authority representative Garrett Croke also addressed the seminar, explaining the regulations regarding risk assessment and how they are implemented in Ireland.