A SURVEY of 600 building sites has revealed seriously low safety standards, according to the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald.
At a seminar in Dublin at which a guide to new construction regulations was issued, Ms Fitzgerald said a recent "blitz" of safety inspections had shown up major deficiencies.
Inadequate scaffolding and roof protection were among the main problems, with only 59 per cent of sites having enough protection against falls from a height. Of 600 sites inspected, work was suspended on more than 50 to allow dangers to be rectified.
Eleven people have died this year in construction accidents, she added.