The CIF H&S Committee is charged with steering policy for the sector. Our opening discussion with members of the committee focuses on the challenges and the work streams that the committee is currently addressing.

Plus we’ll hear about the benefits of joining the CIF from Conor Greham.

Falls from height continue to be the biggest cause of fatal and serious accidents in the construction industry. A new initiative spearheaded by the National Scaffolding & Access Contractors (NASAC) is focused on increasing the competencies of scaffolders. Keith and John discuss what is involved and the progress to date

Dublin City Council has implemented a scheme to reduce the movement of heavy goods vehicles in Dublin city centre – for environmental reasons and also to improve public safety. Niall outlines how the construction sector is impacted and how the industry can contribute to addressing the objectives of the DCC HGV strategy

A review of the current Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has commenced. The first programme to be reviewed is the location of underground services. Sean outlines the progress to date and the changes bring brought about to make the programme more useful for the sector

The Construction Safety Licencing Bill 2023, which is currently working its way through the Oireachtas, will bring about changes in training that will impact workers, employers and trainers. Amongst other things, it will create a new Licencing Authority. Our panel discusses the changes that are coming, the timeline for implementation and their likely impact

Substance use policies and practices in the workplace are at a relatively early stage, and research and information in this area is limited. Our panel of experienced EHS practitioners give their insights on this highly sensitive issue:

• A general overview of the state of workplace policies on substance use in the Irish construction sector
• Guidance, tools and resources to help policy development and employer responses to substance use affecting the workplace
• Lessons learned and best practices in developing and implementing workplace substance use policies from the experiences of safety-sensitive organisations

Discover how to optimise your EHS management by leveraging the power of technology to streamline EHS processes, reduce costs, and achieve maximum efficiency while involving your people. Derya and Michael discuss how Mercury used an innovative technology solution to achieve a safer project site and EHS excellence through efficient deployment of people, technology and process

As the importance of environment, social and corporate governance (ESG) becomes a growing concern for companies, the mission of EHS has taken on new relevance and value. So, what does this mean for an organisation’s EHS teams? Given that a significant amount of ESG data will come directly from the EHS department, it is crucial that the correct systems and procedures are in place to feed the company with insights. The newfound spotlight on the role is resulting in material change to tactical job requirements, executive visibility, and organisational influence. 

• Is your organisation ready to navigate and embrace the change?
• Upgrading EHS data quality to prepare for financial ESG scrutiny
• Future-proofing EHS with new digital solutions and breakthrough technologies

Supports and services available to the construction industry for emotional, physical and financial wellbeing. Plus, Make It Visible campaign launch.

Brent is a former New Zealand rugby player and ex-professional rugby coach. He is perhaps best known in Ireland as a rugby pundit for RTE television. Brent is a mental health ambassador for many organisations and charities, and has worked closely with many of the UK’s leading construction companies. He speaks openly and poignantly about his life and in trying to create a safe and supportive environment for us all to live in.  

• Steps to developing and implementing a drugs and alcohol testing policy
• Planning and implementing interventions to manage the risks of drugs and alcohol
• Privacy rights

Health and safety is much more complex than ever before. With the ESH role expanding all the time,  it’s more likely they need to be in tune with the company’s culture and business practices.

• Why is mental health an issue in construction safety?
• How can it be addressed

How to manage and monitor safety incidents in construction projects

Join Osvaldo and Martin to explore the role of technology in promoting health and safety and how it can be used to ensure compliance in EHS processes.

Learn how the latest technological advancements in EHS (Including offline capability, mobile support, real-time data collection and system integration) can help you create a safer workplace.

Instead of focusing on stopping work when it is dangerous (stop work authority), perhaps we should explore a different approach and only start work when all critical controls are in place for our critical risks. Paul will discuss:

• Are the things that cause fatalities different to the things that injure people?
• Do we spend too much of our time and resources on the ‘low hanging fruit’ and not enough time on our critical risks and potential high-consequence events?
• Do we engage with our people at the sharp end of the risk enough to ensure appropriate controls – what needs to go right in our high-risk operations? Are they in place for our critical risks?
• When something goes wrong, what factors will eliminate fatalities and on review, are those critical controls enough?

Jonathan discusses the roundtable discussions with moderators