SIPTU has demanded jail terms for builders who break safety laws and a role for the Garda in enforcing them. The union's construction branch secretary, Mr Eric Fleming, said nine workers had died this year on building sites. The death rate would not fall until there were adequate safety enforcements.
Mr Fleming, also a member of the Health and Safety Authority, said: "One particular builder has had three fatalities on his sites. His name is continually coming up at meetings of the authority and all that happens is that he is fined.
"He is quite happy to pay the fines. Only jailing will show employers like this that we mean business in enforcing the laws."
He added that extending health and safety legislation to allow gardai to investigate complaints or accidents would help make law enforcement more effective.
Another Dublin delegate, Mr Paul Hansard, said sanitation on sites was appalling. Workers often had to eat in the open or in tool sheds where there were rat droppings because of the lack of canteen facilities.
Many accidents were due to inexperienced workers being sent up on scaffolding or told to operate cranes. "FAS has plenty of training courses, but unfortunately employers won't send people on them.
"Four years ago the employers were saying that they couldn't afford to send workers for training because of the slump. Now they are saying they are too busy to spare men from sites."
Delegates called for a national anti-drugs campaign to promote awareness of the problem within the union. The branch secretary of the drinks, tobacco and distribution branch, Ms Anne Speed, said drugs were not just a problem for the young and unemployed.