David Norris (Independent)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 11, to delete lines 9 to 12, and substitute the following:

"(b) the collapse or partial collapse of any building or structure under construction or in use as a place of work,

(c) the uncontrolled or accidental release, the escape or the ignition of any substance,

(d) a fire involving any substance, or

(e) any unintentional ignition or explosion of explosives,".

I understand the Government may well accept this amendment. It simply seeks to amplify the terms used in page 11 of the Bill. The terms, as they stand, just refer to materials but the amendment proposes to extend them to include the collapse of a building, a fire involving any substance at all or any unintentional ignition or explosion of explosives. It is well-grounded because the existing definition is too narrow. The amendment is particularly pertinent for me because I remember raising the issue of safety in recent years in respect of an incident in which people were killed in the collapse of a building as a result of an explosion to demolish that building.

One of the general duties of an employer is to report accidents and dangerous occurrences to the Health and Safety Authority. Paragraph (a) of the definition of "dangerous occurrence" relates only to work equipment as far as the proposers of the amendment, among whom I now include myself, are concerned. Unless the definition is tightened, it seems it will not protect workers in the event of the collapse of a building or the explosion of gases, although I am sure this was not the intention of the those who framed it. The amendment seeks to extend the provision so workers will be covered in such circumstances. The collapse of scaffolding would already be covered. I raised this issue after scaffolding collapsed in the Baggot Street area, resulting in the death of at least one worker. Such matters are severe but there is a greater likelihood of injury or death when an entire building collapses. Therefore, I urge the Minister to accept the amendment.