The jailing yesterday of a construction firm company director has highlighted concerns over non-compliance with safety standards in the construction industry.
The High Court decision was welcomed by the Building & Allied Trades' Union (BATU) and by SIPTU's construction branch.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) voiced concern about non-compliance in sections of the industry.
HSA chief executive, Mr Tom Beegan, although not commenting on the case, said the HSA had concentrated significant resources on enforcing safety standards.
"However, the incidence of non-compliance among sections of the industry is a source of considerable concern. As long as a culture of non-compliance remains within parts of the construction industry, the HSA will continue to use all means available to stamp it out."
Mr Beegan said he noted the positive engagement of trade unions and the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) as regards health and safety issues, and the work achieved by the Construction Safety Partnership.
Nevertheless, he said: "It is a continuing source of worry to the HSA that parts of the construction industry have not bought into this programme."
The cost of non-compliance could not just be expressed in monetary terms.
"It is also reflected in the immense human suffering of families left bereaved and workers who are left permanently maimed by accidents on construction sites," he said.
The jailing of Jason Madden was welcomed by Mr Dennis Farrell of BATU, who said: "Further use of the courts should be engaged by the HSA to protect workers from death and serious injury."
BATU had called for the introduction of a penalty points system. "We are also calling for the introduction of the charge of corporate manslaughter. That may sound harsh but there were 21 deaths last year in the industry and there is no sign of any major changes, so we need radical solutions," he said.
Mr Mick Finnegan of SIPTU's construction branch called for greater penalties for companies who did not provide for workers' safety and who ignored the HSA.
SIPTU was calling for heavier fines and jail sentences for builders who did not comply. They also demanded a far greater role for worker safety representatives on site.
"There should be prison sentences where a worker loses a life through negligence by a company. People hear about the deaths but every day there are serious accidents, a lot of them down to negligence," he said.
Mr Peter McCabe, the CIF's director of safety and manpower services, said he would not comment on the individual case.
Speaking generally, he said there was a huge focus on safety in the industry.
He added that 185,000 people in the industry had done the FÁS one-day mandatory safety awareness course.