Sterner building site safety legislation

Press, 20 October 1983, Page 10

Sterner building site safety legislation

Parliamentary reporter

A bill designed to strengthen legislation providing for safety on construction sites was introduced on Tuesday in Parliament by the Government.

The Construction Amendment Bill would extend the definition of “employer” to cover sub-contractors, labour-only contractors, and anyone else in charge of construction.

The Minister of Labour, Mr Bolger, said the aim was

to ensure that such persons had responsibility for the safety of construction site workers. “The need for this extension became apparent when my department was unable to prosecute a person who seemed clearly responsible for a fatal accident,” he said. The bill would increase the penalties for committing safety offences in line with the provisions of the Factories and Commercial Premises Act, 1981. This would mean that the

general penalty for an offence would rise from $2OOO to $5OOO, and from $2O to $250 a day for continuing offences.

Another provision implements a Public and Administrative Law Reform Committee recommendation that construction safety inspectors be required to carry and produce identification.

The Opposition did not oppose the bill, which was referred to the Labour and Education Select Committee.