Advance notice of the European Construction Safety Summit - 22 November 2004 – Bilbao, Spain
News release - 18.11.2004
Dear member of the press,
Europe’s leading construction bodies to sign historic declaration on work safety.
Dear member of the press,
Construction is one of Europe’s largest industries; unfortunately it has also the most problematic occupational safety and health record. Although significant progress has been made in improving standards in the industry, there is still much that can and needs to be done.
A European Construction Safety Summit will take place on 22 November 2004 at Euskalduna Conference Centre in Bilbao, Spain, marking the closing of this year’s European Week on Safety and Health at Work, which has focused on the need to improve prevention in the sector. This one-day summit jointly organised by the Dutch Presidency of the European Union and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work will gather together, amongst others, Henk van Hoof, Dutch Secretary of State for Social Affairs and Employment, Jesús Caldera, Spanish Minister for Employment and Social Affairs,Bernhard Jansen, Director, European Commission and leading figures from Europe’s construction industry.
During the summit, industry representatives will sign a common declaration to take appropriate action in order to achieve the significant, and permanent, improvements that are required to implement the EU strategy on occupational safety and health 2002 – 2006, and notably:
- Integrating good standards of safety and health into public procurement, including publicly funded construction projects.
- Ensuring the effective enforcement of all safety and health legislation applicable to the construction sector.
- Developing specific guidelines to ensure effective implementation of the legislation, describe good practice during the project preparation, and ensure that any information is targeted and specific to the needs of the industry.
- Designing out risk wherever reasonably possible and highlighting any remaining residual risk in all projects in which the design community is involved.
- Improving safety and health performance through social partner commitment.
If you want to follow the proceedings live online on 22nd November, there will be a simultaneous web cast of the event on the European week website http://osha.europa.eu/ew2004/closingevent/broadcast/
EVENT: Closing event of European Week for Safety and Health at Work - Construction
DATE: 22nd November 2004
VENUE: Euskalduna Conference Centre, Bilbao, Spain.
TIME: 09:00 a.m. (GMT + 1)
PRESS CONFERENCE: 10:45 a.m. (GMT + 1)
FOR PRESS REGISTRATION TO ATTEND THE SUMMIT CONTACT:
- Marta Urrutia, email: urrutia@osha.europa.eu European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Tel: +34 94 479 57 46 - Mobile Tel: + 34 629 644 244
- Alun Jones, email: jones@osha.europa.eu European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Tel: +34 94 479 43 77 - Mobile Tel: + 34 609 612 941
- Bruno Thiebaud, email: thiebaud@osha.europa.eu European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Tel: +34 94 479 35 37
