Safety agencies in bid to reduce building site accidents

HEALTH and safety enforcement agencies have warned that work will be halted on building sites with poor safety standards.

In a 10-year period up to 2002, a total of 220 construction workers died in accidents on both sides of the Border.

As part of an effort to reduce the deaths, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and the Republic's Health and Safety Authority (HSA) are planning a summertime blitz on sites. Already this year, nine people have died in work-related accidents in the industry.