Quarries face closure under new safety blitz
Health & Safety Authority (HSA) chief executive Tom Beegan issued the latest warning ahead of Quarry Safety Week, which runs from September 18 to 22.
Earlier this year, the HSA said unless the sector had improved its attention to workplace health and safety issues, serious action would be taken against quarry owners and operators.
Two people died this year in quarry accidents. According to Mr Beegan: “That was two too many in a sector where zero fatalities should be achievable if all involved took appropriate care. Zero fatalities achieved in 2004 followed by five fatalities in 2005 shows that mistakes are very unforgiving when they occur in this sector,” he said.
The HSA campaign will focus on known causes of fatal accidents at quarries, such as machinery and vehicle safety issues.
“Last year’s figures were an indication that the industry is just not getting the message on workplace health and safety,” said Mr Beegan.
HSA senior inspector Pat Griffin said he had asked the industry and representative organisations to step up the emphasis of quarry safety issues for the week by holding in-house tool box talks or awareness training.
