The Occupational Health and Safety Authority has launched a public consultation on new safety guidelines to try and prevent at least some of the accidents happening in the construction industry. As is the case in all long-term planning, a clear strategy on safeguarding workers’ health and safety in the workplace comes before specific tactics that need to be put in place.

Construction workers are paying too high a toll on their health and safety when fatalities and injuries can be avoided, as much as is humanly possible, by planning the work, providing the right kit and making sure it is used

One of the major challenges the OHSA needs to address is the hiring of unregistered labour, a phenomenon becoming more evident as thousands of migrants are prepared to take on any work that is on offer as long as they earn some money to support themselves.

Traditionally, trade unions were instrumental in ensuring that both employers and their workers undertook their health and safety obligations with utmost commitment. Unfortunately, a good number of construction workers are not unionised and, even when they are, many large building companies often resort to causal labour or subcontractors to carry out work with strict completion deadlines. This is not conducive to rid the construction industry of many malpractices that are putting lives at risk.

Employers, trade unions and the government must therefore to come together to define strict health and safety rules to protect the interest of workers and of society in general, especially in high-risk industries as is the case in construction.

Regulators are right in having formal enforcement codes but it is equally essential that the enforcement function is combined with a genuine desire to help both workers and employers make the workplace a safer, healthier place.

Increasing awareness of safety is a complex task that requires the participation of all levels in a company, including, of course, the workers.

This task becomes even more challenging when trying to educate DIY enthusiasts to protect themselves and their families from health and safety hazards and their inevitable consequences. This is mainly because many are not aware of the dangers they face when undertaking construction work in their own homes or that of relatives or friends. Self-employed construction workers can also lack the risk awareness that is necessary to protect themselves from serious injury or even fatalities.

The first priority of any educational campaign on health and safety is to make it clear to employers and workers that both need to contribute to making the workplace safe.

Employers often blame ‘feckless’ victims for the accidents that kill or maim them at work.

Victims or their families, on the other hand, often resort to legal action against their employers when it is too late to reverse the painful consequences of accidents that may have been caused by a worker’s own carelessness.

Management must also demonstrate that it really cares about the health of its workforce. This can also be done by investigating accidents and near misses and then promptly and effectively taking action to improve as quickly as possible the workplace conditions that can lead to accidents.

The results of this action should be widely publicised to reinforce employers’ commitment to health and safety.