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Don't fall from it! Labour Inspectorates across Europe launch a campaign in the construction industry

June 2003
Sheila Pantry, OBE

Labour inspectorates of the European Union (EU) have launched a European campaign in the construction industry. The campaign, in 2003 and 2004, features simultaneous intensive inspection initiatives in all Member States of the European Union supported by publicity initiatives in association with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work to raise awareness in the sector.

• More than 1300 people die in construction accidents each year in the EU
• Worldwide, construction workers are three times more likely to be killed and twice as likely to be injured as workers in other occupations
• The costs of these accidents are immense to the individual, to the employer and to society
• Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are most affected by construction accidents

The focus of the campaign is the prevention of falls from height. The inspection campaign will ask the following questions:

• Have the dangers of falling from height been properly catalogued?
• Have the necessary preventive measures been taken and equipment installed and made available?
• Have the correct choices been made regarding equipment and measures and are these being properly used and maintained?
• Are co-ordination obligations being properly met and is health and safety taken into consideration in the selection of contractors and subcontractors?

The publicity will target all stakeholders engaged in construction activity, including:

• Clients
• Architects
• Trade Union representatives
• Employers
• Subcontractors
• Workers

Meanwhile OSHWORLD continues to bring you news, publications, web sites that you will find useful in your daily work. Look at the latest additions to the Diary of Events and you will see plans have been made already worldwide up to 2005 to have training courses, symposiums and conferences in many places in the world on a wide range of subjects. Don't forget that on 3 November 2003 there will be a major conference on Food Safety in Europe FSE2003.

On 4 - 5 November 2003 Eurohse2003 takes place also in London, UK. This is a major event for all occupational health and safety practitioners and managers. Already bookings have been made for both conferences. So do not wait until it is too late to get into these important events.

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Hope you have a zero accident and incident-free year in 2003 in your workplace.

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