250 killed in work accidents last year

Half of all the deaths on the job are in the construction industry.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
construction 88 224 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
construction 88 224
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
More than 250 people were killed and 45,000 were injured on the job last year, Haim Eliahu, director of the government's Occupational Safety and Health Institute, said at its 13th national conference held at Jerusalem's International Convention Center on Tuesday. The event was attended by more than 1,200 inspectors and safety representatives in factories, the IDF and other organizations who listened to hours of professional lectures. They were greeted by Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai, who said that despite budgetary constraints, he was open to ideas on promoting job safety. Eliahu noted that in 2007, NIS 2.754 billion was given to work accident victims and their families. Just one person's involvement in a work accident costs the National Insurance Institute an average of NIS 45,000 in support and compensation. There are also occupational diseases from cancer to cardiovascular disorders that kill three times as many people as work accidents. Thus, preventing accidents by insisting that relevant workers wear helmets, gloves, protective glasses and other equipment and are taught how to avoid being harmed saves many lives and much money, Eliahu said. Half of all the deaths on the job are in the construction industry, he said, and 40 percent of those were due to falls from heights. Nearly 100,000 workers received job safety training in the past year, most involving personnel and equipment on mobile units. The Josephthal Award for Safety on the Job was awarded by a panel of judges, headed by National Labor Court Judge Nili Arad, to 17 individuals and groups around the country. "Employers have a joint interest with unions and workers to promote safety on the premises," she said. Histadrut Labor Federation deputy chairman Zvi Gutwater said the commandment to build a fence on the roof of a new home to prevent falls, as described in the Torah, was an excellent model for promoting safety and preventing accidents on the job. A feature on the conference will appear on a future Sunday Health page.