Minister says workers dying needlessly

North Down MLA Leslie Cree has appealed to the minister for Enterprise Trade and Investment to invest more in ensuring that construction workers are aware of safety precautions.

Mr Cree said that more than 20 people die every year simply because they are not taking simple precautions, the Press Association reports. 35,000 people in Northern Ireland could have a case for compensation as work-related illnesses lead them to being forced to take time off. Solicitors could also expect to see around 800 people per year with major injuries caused by accidents at work.

"These are accidents which could be avoided and should be avoided. We know that two thirds of these accidents are as the result of a fall in the construction industry, that is the sort of thing that should not be happening," Mr Cree said.

He would like minister Nigel Dodds to develop the Buildsafe Northern Ireland initiative for public sector construction tasks.

John Armstrong, managing director of the Construction Employers' Federation, commented: "We have always said that what we want is a level playing field in the industry. A lot of the private sector members have done the same (as the public sector) on a voluntary basis."

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