The dreadful toll of accidental deaths and injuries within the construction industry shows no sign of abating and the mortality rate on Irish building sites is now nearly double that of Britain.
Because of this, Minister of State with responsibility for safety within the sector, Tony Killeen, should speed up the introduction of on-the-spot fines for breaches of safety legislation.
A new Safety, Health and Work Act was passed by the Dáil last May and its major provisions have been signed into law by the Minister. But a consultation process with trade unions and employers concerning the introduction of on-the-spot fines is still taking place. Fear of being caught and prosecuted is the most effective way of securing voluntary compliance with any legislation. That is why the inspection of building sites is so important. A reluctance by the authorities to impose heavy fines and penalties for first offences, especially where small firms are concerned, is understandable. In such circumstances, on-the-spot fines would be a more effective approach.
An increase in the number of deaths in the construction industry this year - it stands at 19 so far, compared to a total of 15 for 2004 - may reflect the growing casualisation of employment within the sector. Bogus sub-contracting, poor pay and conditions for migrant workers and extensive black economy activity all contribute to unsafe working conditions. The Revenue Commissioners have a role to play in addressing these issues. The Government should also provide funding for an increase in the number of safety inspectors.
The Construction Industry Federation has done a deal of work to encourage greater safety awareness among its members. In co-operation with Fás, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, it participated in new training and safety measures in recent years. In spite of that, inspections by the HSA have found that up to 50 per cent of small employers are breaking the law.
The construction sector is not the only health and safety black spot. The incidence of fatal accidents within agriculture is almost as high. And it all comes down to a lack of care and safety awareness. HSA chief executive Tom Beegan has spoken of people dying needlessly.
So far this year, 64 people have been killed in workplace accidents, representing an increase of almost 30 per cent on last year. It is not an acceptable state of affairs. Inspectors from the HSA should get tougher on those who flout the law. In particular, on-the-spot fines for breaches of safety regulations should be introduced and widely applied.