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26/10/2001
‘Safe T Cert’ spells new way forward
The Construction Employers’ Federation (CEF) is set to participate in an initiative known as ‘Safe T Cert’.
The scheme, which is designed to improve the standard of safety management in the construction industry here through continual improvement, was welcomed by Ms Teresa Townsley, HSENI Board member and a member of the Shadow Board of Invest Northern Ireland, who was presenting the first certificates to a number of companies under the Construction Industry contractors Safety Certification scheme.
Speaking at the awards ceremony at CEF headquarters, Malone Road, Belfast, Ms Townsley said: “Safe T Cert is an excellent example of the construction industry taking positive action to provide evidence of health and safety competence in a form which is easily understood by clients.”
The scheme involves the auditing of participating contractors which allows their health and safety performance to be closely monitored. Contractors coming up to standard will then be issued with a Safe T Cert certificate.
Over the last decade, a total of 44 workers have died in Northern Ireland as a result of accidents in the construction industry, with six of these deaths occurring since January last year. This represents a fatal accident rate for Northern Ireland more than double that of the construction industry in Great Britain.
However, Ms Townsley also noted that apart from the death toll there was a further price to be paid, she added: “Quite apart from the human cost, health and safety failures add to project costs and cause unnecessary delays. Research has shown that the cost of accidents on a typical large construction site may amount to almost 10 per cent of the contract price. It is widely recognised that good health and safety management is crucial to securing optimum value for money.”
The Safe T Cert initiative is also notable in that it derives from close co-operation between Northern Ireland’s Construction Employers Federation (CEF) and its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).
Both the President and the Managing Director of CEF, Michael Ferguson and Tony Doran respectively, were present at the awards ceremony, and welcomed Ms Townsley’s comments. (MB)
The scheme, which is designed to improve the standard of safety management in the construction industry here through continual improvement, was welcomed by Ms Teresa Townsley, HSENI Board member and a member of the Shadow Board of Invest Northern Ireland, who was presenting the first certificates to a number of companies under the Construction Industry contractors Safety Certification scheme.
Speaking at the awards ceremony at CEF headquarters, Malone Road, Belfast, Ms Townsley said: “Safe T Cert is an excellent example of the construction industry taking positive action to provide evidence of health and safety competence in a form which is easily understood by clients.”
The scheme involves the auditing of participating contractors which allows their health and safety performance to be closely monitored. Contractors coming up to standard will then be issued with a Safe T Cert certificate.
Over the last decade, a total of 44 workers have died in Northern Ireland as a result of accidents in the construction industry, with six of these deaths occurring since January last year. This represents a fatal accident rate for Northern Ireland more than double that of the construction industry in Great Britain.
However, Ms Townsley also noted that apart from the death toll there was a further price to be paid, she added: “Quite apart from the human cost, health and safety failures add to project costs and cause unnecessary delays. Research has shown that the cost of accidents on a typical large construction site may amount to almost 10 per cent of the contract price. It is widely recognised that good health and safety management is crucial to securing optimum value for money.”
The Safe T Cert initiative is also notable in that it derives from close co-operation between Northern Ireland’s Construction Employers Federation (CEF) and its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).
Both the President and the Managing Director of CEF, Michael Ferguson and Tony Doran respectively, were present at the awards ceremony, and welcomed Ms Townsley’s comments. (MB)
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06 December 2001
Health and Safety warning for construction industry
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has issued a warning to the construction industry, following initial investigations into two recent fatal accidents. The first of these fatal accidents took place in Belfast on November 19 and the second at Blackwater, County Armagh on December 4.
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04 September 2003
Construction companies fined for health & safety incidents
Two Co Antrim construction firms have been prosecuted for breaches of health and safety legislation, which in one case, almost led to the deaths of two workers on a building site.
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Two Co Antrim construction firms have been prosecuted for breaches of health and safety legislation, which in one case, almost led to the deaths of two workers on a building site.
28 April 2003
Buildsafe initiative aims to save workers' lives
A major new initiative has been launched which is aimed at improving the health and safety record of the construction Industry.
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12 June 2002
Agreement to ensure mobility of construction labour
The Construction Skills Register (CSR) has signed a mutual recognition agreement with Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) - the equivalent scheme in Great Britain – in a move that will ensure the mobility of construction workers throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Agreement to ensure mobility of construction labour
The Construction Skills Register (CSR) has signed a mutual recognition agreement with Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) - the equivalent scheme in Great Britain – in a move that will ensure the mobility of construction workers throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
31 October 2002
Local firm appointed as new training providers
Sandy Arthur Training Services has become the first company in Northern Ireland to be accredited as a Construction Skills Register Provider by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
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Sandy Arthur Training Services has become the first company in Northern Ireland to be accredited as a Construction Skills Register Provider by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
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