New health and safety at work legislation promised to the Dáil by last April will not now be completed until the end of the year at the earliest.
The new Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Bill has been delayed because the review of existing legislation has been more detailed than expected, according to Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment spokesperson.
In a statement issued today the Minister for Labour Affairs at the department, Mr Frank Fahy, said under the new legislation offenders would face penalties of up to €3,000 on summary conviction.
Under the proposed new laws those convicted on indictment of breaching the health and safety laws will face fines of up to 10 per cent of annual turnover or two years in jail.
Reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries in the construction industry is the prime focus of the new legislation. Employers will face greater responsibilities and heavier fines for health and safety breaches, the Minister said.
The legislation will identify a lack of sanitary services; failure to wear safety equipment and failure for employees to carry a "safe pass" certificate as beaches which would face an on the spot fine.
Under the new laws the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) will establish an safety training company. The carried out the initial review stage before transferring the proposals to the department to be finalised.
Last February Mr Fahy told the Dail the construction industry had been "notorious" in the past for being negligent about safety in the workplace, but there was now "a much better culture of prevention and awareness".
Last year 61 workplace fatalities were recorded. Twenty one of these occurred in the construction industry, 13 in farming and forestry. In the first six months of 2003 33 people have been killed in workplace fatalities.