I assure the Deputy that I share the concerns of both the public and the Dáil in relation to the continuing high rate of accidents and fatalities in the construction sector. However, I should point out that the Health and Safety Authority is responsible for the day-to-day enforcement of health and safety legislation.
The approach which is taken to the management of occupational health and safety is based on the principles of legislation, enforcement, information and partnership.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 is the principal piece of legislation dealing with occupational health and safety. It sets out in clear and unambiguous terms the responsibilities which both employers and employees have in relation to providing and maintaining a safe working environment. This Act is comprehensive in its application — it applies to all places of work and all employers, employees and self-employed are covered by this Act.
The 1995 construction regulations implement a European Union directive concerning minimum safety and health requirements on construction sites. These regulations constitute one of the most detailed pieces of legislation dealing with any one specific industry. The regulations introduce the concept of a chain of responsibility thus making health and safety an integral part of construction work from inception through to completion, and they place very specific obligations on all the participants, i.e., clients, designers, contractors, employers and employees.
Legislation, however, needs to be enforced in a targeted and structured manner if it is to be really effective. Earlier this summer, I launched a new Construction Action Programme, drawn up by the Health and Safety Authority, and aimed specifically at addressing the health and safety situation in the construction sector. This programme includes the setting up of a dedicated team of construction inspectors within the authority. This team is now operational and the inspectors have been targeting unsafe building sites. I have also written to all my Government colleagues asking them to ensure that where public sector construction contracts are being awarded, the firm or contractor in question has a safety statement, as required under the 1989 Act.
In addition, the authority's advisory committee on construction safety, on which the key players in the construction industry are represented, is also actively seeking to address safety in the industry. It has produced a code of practice and video on safe work with scaffolding which will be launched shortly. It is also in the process of establishing sub-groups to consider the whole issue of consultation in the construction industry and to draw up improved guidelines for clients on their responsibilities for safety on their sites.