Death highlights bad record of construction industry, says expert

12:00 pm

An Auckland building site worker's death yesterday highlighted again the woeful safety record of the construction industry, a top safety officer said today.

A man died when a concrete slab fell on him in inner city Parliament St at 4 pm where new apartments were being built. Another worker was taken to Auckland Hospital.

The man's body was pinned under the slab for several hours before air bags were used to lift it clear.

Department of Labour occupational safety and health officers refused to let workers back on the site today until it had been declared safe.

Neighbours speculated heavy rain and traffic may have combined to weaken a bank near the collapsed wall.

However, the Auckland service manager for Occupational Safety and Health, John Forrest, told NZPA today the construction industry consistently failed to meet minimum safety standards.

"They are one of the worst performers in the country as an industry."

He said in the last six months 12 people had died in industrial accidents, five on construction sites.

"It is grossly over-represented. There is not enough work being done, particularly on the bigger sites that change dramatically every day.

"They need to be alerted to the hazards every day."

He said construction companies were failing to educate and train workers and failing to identify and pay attention to the safety hazards.

The threat of a $100,000 fine or a year in prison for the company principals or people in charge of safety, seemed to have little effect, Mr Forrest said.

However, he said with 120,000 businesses and only 50 safety inspectors in Auckland, the Department of Labour relied significantly on the public to report safety breaches, and the industry to maintain standards.

He said prosecutions would continue but a relatively small fine on a multi-million dollar site had little effect.

"It is really comes down to them and are they serious about safety. Do they want to kill people at work or don't they and it is that attitude we need to get through. It is not just a bottom-line dollar thing."

Mr Forrest said health and safety should be taken seriously, from the top of the company down to the men who dug the holes. Quotes should include a bigger health and safety content but a change in the law would soon mean companies could be fined up to $500,000 for breaches.

He said safety officers would continue to shut down risky sites until they complied with safety standards.

Mr Forrest said OSH would work with police on the inquiry, including the possibility of charges over safety breaches which may have led to the man's death.

The dead man's name has yet to be released.

- NZPA