26th March, 2020
Ms Jean Winters
Director, Industrial Relations and Employment Services.
CIF
Re: COVID-19 National Emergency
Dear Jean
Further to our earlier telephone conversation, I wish to advise that the attached document represents the Congress position regarding the operation of construction sites during the COVID-19 national emergency. I would be obliged if you could confirm if CIF are in agreement with the attached.
Kind Regards
Liam Berney
INDUSTRIAL OFFICER
ICTU
1. With the continuing spread of COVID-19 in Ireland the Government have announced specific
measures that must be followed to slow the spread of the virus and to save lives.
2. As part of this advice Government have placed restrictions on working and where workplaces are
operating, that they must fully comply with HSE guidelines.
3. The health and safety of all workers on construction sites is paramount. Full compliance with
Health and Safety Legislation, Regulations and Public Health Advice on all construction sites is
crucial to this.
4. In this regard, all "Essential Services" construction sites should be identified immediately and
assessed to ensure their full compliance with the above. Fully appropriate Personal Protective
Equipment should be supplied to all workers on these sites.
5. "Non-Essential Services" construction sites should be closed until they are fully compliant in line
with all of the above. A full risk assessment of all "Non-Essential Services" construction sites,
inclusive of Trade Union representatives, should be carried out over the next 24 hours and those
found to be non-compliant should be closed immediately.
6. Workers should be made aware that under the Health safety and Welfare at Work ( Act) 2005 they
are entitled to remove themselves from any premises that represents a hazard or danger to their
health and welfare and they cannot suffer any detriment as a result.
ends
