Construction Safety Partnership (Ireland)

The CSP Programme of Work 2012 is now available here

Introduction

“This is the fifth Programme agreed by the Construction Safety Partnership (CSP). The industry has experienced dramatic change and downsizing since 2007 and employment in 2012 is forecast to be below 100,000. In taking account of this the CSP is dealing with a very different industry dominated by small contractors and small projects and tender bids up to 30% below 2007 rates. The concern of all the partners at this time is that economic pressures will erode the achievements of the past decade and unless a continued focus on safety is maintained, all progress could be lost.

Whilst it is encouraging to see lower rates of fatalities and accidents in this high risk industry, there are signs that safety standards are slipping on sites.

Following on from the debate and consultation of the Construction Safety Forum in November 2011, the CSP has agreed to focus on five key objectives covering; Design and Procurement, Plant and Equipment, Small contractors safety management system: SMP20, Worker Engagement and Representation and Construction Skills Certification Scheme. The programme also includes two CSP Construction Industry Safety Awards for Safety Innovation and for Site Safety Representative 2012.

The Olympic year 2012 will provide CSP with new challenges including changes relating to the dissolution of FAS and Certification through the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC). The CSP Policy on Safe Pass and CSCS (Dec 2011) will be a key area of concentration this year.

The CSP, as an alliance of lead organisations dealing with the Construction Industry is committed to addressing the targeted actions as outlined in CSP Programme for 2012".

Peter McCabe, Chairman CSP 2012.

The CSP welcomes the ongoing support of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in order to assist with the funding of initiatives and maintaining the priority status that is required on industry safety performance. We also welcome the comments made in 2011 by Richard Bruton T.D., Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation:

"The CSP was launched 10 years ago with the overall aim of achieving, through a partnership arrangement with the main actors in construction, the highest possible standard of safety, health and welfare in the Irish construction industry.

Your achievement since then has been to help bring about a real change in the safety culture of the construction sector. Your strength is the fact that you can draw upon and activate the key elements and interests involved in the sector. You set your plan, establish your targets, allocate responsibilities and get on with implementation. It is worthy of note that, in a sector where relations have not always been the smoothest, you have been able to coalesce around a practical plan designed to improve health and safety standards and to deliver on them. I encourage the partnership to continue with its work and I wish it well in its endeavours."

Claritas Consulting Report on Safe Pass and CSCS Programmes

CSP has a major interest in the future of safety training in the construction industry and the development of these programmes to ensure the ongoing competency levels within the industry.

As a result, CSP commissioned Claritas Consulting to produce a report on the Options for Future Operating Models for Safe Pass and CSCS.

The report is available here.

CSP Small Contractors Innovation Award 2011

The 2011 award was won by Arthurstown Construction Limited.