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Building a safer future for construction workers
A new training workshop that puts construction worker safety at the heart of
building design will be launched in Melbourne next week, as part of an international
conference on construction health and safety hosted by RMIT University.
RMIT researchers have developed the training materials for the Design Safety
Workshop, which will be launched by Victorian Minister for Roads and Ports, Tim
Pallas, on Wednesday, 21 October.
The workshop, which will be delivered nationally by Engineering Education
Australia, forms a key part of the Guide to Best Practice for Safer Construction, a
joint initiative of Engineers Australia and the Cooperative Research Centre for
Construction Innovation.
Lead researcher Professor Helen Lingard, from RMIT’s School of Property,
Construction and Project Management, said clients, designers and builders needed
to work together to maximise safety on construction sites.
“With a rate of 7.8 compensated fatalities per 100,000 employees, compared with
2.5 across other industries, construction remains one of the most dangerous
sectors to work in,” Professor Lingard said.
“Making occupational health and safety a priority from the earliest stages of a
project, when it is still on the drawing board, could be the vital difference that can
help protect construction workers and prevent work-related injuries or fatalities.”
Professor Lingard is Chair of the CIB W099 International Conference on
Construction Safety, which will look at how collaborative approaches in planning,
designing and building can improve OHS in the construction industry.
The launch of the Design Safety Workshop will hear from a panel of Australian
construction industry leaders including Peter Godfrey, National President of
Engineers Australia, Peter Scott, Chairman of Sinclair Knight Merz, Peter Verwer,
Chief Executive of the Property Council of Australia, and Bill Wild, Chief Operating
Officer of Leighton Holdings.
For more information on the international construction OHS conference and to view
Media opportunity
What: Launch of Design Safety Workshop and Constructing a Safer Future
industry panel discussion
When: 4pm, Wednesday, 21 October
Where: Conference Rooms 1-3, Rydges Melbourne, 186 Exhibition St, Melbourne
For interviews and more information: RMIT School of Property, Construction
and Project Management Marketing Officer, Ben Bucknall, (03) 9925 5044.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Communications, Gosia
Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
14 October, 2009
NEWS 
