Calls for dedicated safety inspectorate for construction sector

File photo.

John Regan, a construction sector organiser with Siptu, has called for the establishment of a dedicated safety inspectorate for the construction industry to assist the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) to ensure Covid-19 safety guidelines are being enforced.

The HSA has not been adequately sourced for some time, he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland. It needs to be fully backed and the construction sector needs its own inspectors to make sure there isn’t a second surge of the virus, he added.

Siptu will be looking for workers on sites to elect a representative to make sure that guidelines and protocols for onsite safety are being observed, he said.

Many workers are apprehensive about returning to work, said Mr Regan. A system has to be put in place where frontline management and workers agree on times for breaks.

It is a case of common sense, he said.

But will common sense prevail? We’re going to be very active in monitoring sites.

The trade union is very worried about safety on sites and has set up a hotline workers can contact if they are concerned about the site on which they are working. The hotline number is 01 8588210.

“Social distancing and the safety of employees must be paramount.”

Construction sites are a difficult place of work, he said. The lockdown had brought about requirements for employers to carry out assessments of on-site safety to ensure there are no hazards. There is now a whole new model for employers. It is a unique situation said Mr Regan.

Workers and employers will have to work together and every action will have to be safety-driven.