Increased enforcement has contributed to a decrease in the number of fatalities at construction sites, but further steps are needed
Safety training and advanced training are essential for the preservation of human life
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The year 2020 saw a decrease in the number of deaths at construction sites in Israel, and this is a positive line in a year that was so difficult for everyone, both health-wise and economically.
The decrease in the number of fatalities is due to increased activity of the Safety Administration in the Ministry of Labor and Welfare: 3,000 construction sites were closed as a result of an audit that revealed safety deficiencies, almost twice the number of sites closed a year earlier.
The number of inspectors' visits increased from 8,331 in 2019 to 12,250 inspections in 2020.
This is undoubtedly a welcome activity, which brings with it positive results, and the safety administration deserves all the compliments.
But this is just the beginning, and there is still a lot of work ahead of us.
It is important to note that the decline was recorded in the corona year, in which the construction industry continued to operate as usual, in contrast to the whole economy.
Although there was a dramatic decrease in the number of construction starts, tens of thousands of construction sites that were already in operation, continued to work.
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A variety of actions
The way to reduce the number of fatalities and accidents in the construction industry must include a variety of activities.
Hard enforcement is just part of the same whole.
Enforcement must be continued and even increased, but it must be accompanied by complementary actions, such as observance of labor laws, strict observance of working hours, real enforcement with manpower companies, through which crane operators and heavy tools are employed without rights and without supervision.
Criminal enforcement is required in the face of the phenomenon of forged professional certificates.
According to professionals, this is about a third to a half of the activity in the market.
Enforcement of payment in cash, significant information in the workplace, in the media and by all other means.
Safety training and advanced training are an important chapter in the continuation of the preservation of human life in the construction industry.
Without an orderly set of trainings, we will not be able to maintain the positive trend.
We must not forget: even if the number of deaths decreased in 2020, it is still a high number.
We are legally and certainly morally obligated to strive for a significant reduction in the number of deaths.
And yet, it should be remembered that the construction industry is a dangerous profession.
Complementary steps
The improvement in enforcement follows the agreements we reached in 2019 (Memorandum of Understanding) between the government and the Histadrut.
We must not allow these agreements to dissolve, and these are much broader agreements than the enforcement clauses.
Enforcement is a key tier, but can not be exercised unless further steps are taken.
As with the stick and carrot method, here too we need to act on both sides.
On the one hand, difficult enforcement, and on the other hand, enabling employers to cooperate with us and strengthen the positive aspects: more safety training, professional training and seminars in the field of safety, which are conducted under the auspices of the Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry.
And no less important: the concentration of regulation, in order to make it easier for employers to realize the vision of all of us to reduce accidents and reduce the number of fatalities.
The improvement is due to the fact that both the government and the employers have taken responsibility.
There is a great improvement in safety in large construction companies.
One has to keep one's finger on the pulse and wage an uncompromising struggle against the unregistered contractors, who are the cause of a large proportion of accidents in the construction industry.
The author is the
chairman of the Construction Workers' Federation and related industries and the acting chairman of the Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry in Israel.
In collaboration with Yitzhak Moyal
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