The government is stepping up the fight against accidents in the construction industry:
Deputy Minister of Economy, MK Yair Golan, announced today (Tuesday) the planned revolution in the field of occupational safety in Israel. Work in government and adopt the "Safety Stars" program.
Golan made the remarks at a conference of the Safety Headquarters in the Construction and Infrastructure Industry of the Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry, the Histadrut and the Association of Contractors of Builders in the Country.
The conference was attended by representatives of about 200 construction companies from all over the country in all areas of construction, along with regulators in the field.
According to the decision led by Golan, alongside the establishment of the new authority, the government will make a series of changes in the way the procedures for planning, training and enforcing occupational safety are carried out.
The highlight of the activity will be the enactment of a Basic Law on Occupational Safety.
Deputy Minister Yair Golan at the conference, Photo: Foundation for the Encouragement of Construction
"We are entering an era of transition from rivalry to partnership between training and enforcement agencies and construction companies in Israel," said MK Golan at the conference.
Among other things, we will adopt the "safety stars" programs currently led by the safety headquarters of the construction industry and it will gradually become binding on all Israeli contractors. "
The Deputy Minister added: "Two factors that must change as part of this reform are the field of data collection, processing and learning and publishing among all those involved in planning, construction, and enforcement. I am not satisfied with the enforcement today and it will improve with the law Recognition and reward for those who make an effort in this area. Along with working together with the industry itself, our full partnership with the related government ministries is also required - the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Agriculture. What is happening in its territory. "
Raul Srugo, president of the Contractors Association and the Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry, which operates the safety headquarters in the industry, said: "We at the Contractors Association have changed our perception of safety years ago. And we will continue to spend large sums to finance the activities to save the lives of workers. "
He added: "The mobilization of the government and Yair Barash is critical. Contractors need to send workers for safety training twice - all of them. In the coming year we will focus on working with small contractors and eradicating the phenomenon of companies not registered with contractors and inspected before work."
The head of the safety staff in the construction and infrastructure industry, Maj. Gen. Eyal Ben-Reuven: "In-depth investigative processes for accident prevention are being carried out with former senior members of the Air Force. The results are already being seen in the field.
Yitzhak Moyal, chairman of the Histadrut of Construction Workers and Related Industries, said at the conference: "We are walking hand in hand with the Contractors' Association and together we have led the safety revolution.
The state and the Knesset have announced that they want to be involved in the revolution.
I am happy that the Histadrut is involved not only in the work but also in the budget and allocates resources to bring the employee home safely.
The road is still long, and the move led by Deputy Minister Golan in vocational training must be completed. "