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This was the second week of action organized by the European Labour Authority (ELA) since the beginning of the year on working conditions in the construction sector. It involved the national authorities (labour inspectorates, social security, customs, immigration, etc.) of 12 EU countries (1) from 16 to 22 October. In total, 196 companies were inspected, 16 sites were visited, 400 workers were interviewed and 113 possible breaches were identified.
The inspections covered various aspects such as subcontracting chains, shell companies, illegal work, non-genuine posting of workers, undeclared work and safety standards at work.
With regard to the latter, four situations involving work at height, for example, led to immediate action being taken by the authorities:
- Risk of falling materials and objects
- Failure to wear personal protective equipment provided by the employer
- Poorly secured scaffolding,
- Workers exposed to stone-cutting dust without adequate protection.
The ELA has identified the construction sector as a priority, recognizing in particular “its vulnerability to irregularities linked to the mobility of workers”. Its activities will continue until 2024 and beyond.
(1) Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Romania.
