Murphy Surveys supports Construction Safety Week 2019

We are proud to support Irish Construction Safety Week 2019, organised by Construction Industry Federation (CIF). The awareness week will be on 21^st – 25^th October, covering key topics associated with safety related to our industry. The list below summarises the topics for the week:  

• Monday, 21^st October – Mental Health & Wellbeing in Construction

As discussed at the CIF’s inaugural health and safety summit in November 2018, workplace stress and the consequential negative effects on a worker’s mental health is increasingly of serious concern for employers. In accordance with EU legislation, employers are obliged to protect workers from psychosocial risks and shall ensure such risks are considered in workplace risk assessments. (source: cif.ie)  

• Tuesday, 22^nd October – Working Safely with Electricity

According to the HSA, Code of Practice for Avoiding Danger from Underground Services, injuries that result from damage to live electricity cables are usually caused by the explosive effects of arcing current and by any associated fire or flames that may follow when the sheath of a cable and the conductor insulation are penetrated by a sharp object such as the point of a tool, or when a cable is crushed severely enough to cause internal contact between the sheathing and one or more of the conductors. (source: cif.ie)  

• Wednesday, 23^rd October – Working Safely at Heights

Working at height is one of the recurring cause of fatalities and serious injury in Ireland. A review of construction-related fatal accidents, as undertaken by the HSA for years 1989 to 2016, identified falling from height as the single most common cause of fatal accidents. The findings demonstrated that 40% of all deaths in the construction sector, and 49% in non-construction businesses engaged in construction were attributable to working at height. (source: cif.ie)  

• Thursday 24^th October – Vehicle Risk & Safety in Lifting Operations

Members report an increased number of issues arising from lifting with cranes, whether lorry loader or mobile cranes. Mobile cranes must be thoroughly examined by a competent person every 12 months, with a documented report of thorough examination generated. Any lifting equipment or lifting accessory (e.g. grapple, grab, slings, chains) must be thoroughly examined every 6 months and clearly marked with a safe working load (except for ropes and rope slings). (source: cif.ie)  

• Friday 25^th October – Working Safely with Hazardous Substances

OSHA, the industry sectors with high prevalence of dangerous substances include agriculture (62%), manufacturing (52%) and construction (51%). If uncontrolled, these substances may potentially impact on a worker’s health and contribute to either acute or long-term health problems (e.g. skin irritation, respiratory diseases and cancer) or safety risks in the form of a chemical reaction, fire, explosion or suffocation. (source: cif.ie)   Here, at Murphy Surveys, we put our employees’ safety first. We will be playing our part to create awareness about the importance of health and safety when working on construction sites, both internally and externally through emails, social media and website. So follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and watch this space.