Objectives

The purpose  of the the International Section of the ISSA on Prevention in the Construction Industry is to promote study and research in various countries, facilitate the exchange between experts and the world of labour, and mobilize specialists for the elaboration of strategies, methods, as well as new instruments for action and analysis.

The section organizes technical meetings, studies, round tables, expert discussions and specialized meetings  during ISSA Congresses and International Symposia on prevention of occupational accidents and diseases.

The Section on Prevention in the Construction Industry was founded in 1968 and is one of the eleven International Sections on Prevention.

During the 20th century, the construction sector went through considerable changes in the technical, economic and social fields.  The design and use of new processes and the research for better architectural and functional quality as well as for new ways of work organization, are changing and influencing the construction industry. Despite the undisputed progress, which may vary among countries, the prevention of injuries and promotion of occupational health still remains the main challenge in the construction industry.

The expansion and increasing interconnectedness of construction activities  on a world-wide scale in the 21st century constitute a challenge to clients and project supervisors, architects and research departments, company managers and employees, managers and employee representatives, prevention experts – such as occupational physicians and engineers, safety specialists, occupational psychologists and ergonomists – working in both the public and private sectors.

The section therefore wishes to further develop a global and multidisciplinary approach of prevention of risks in the construction industry in order to

• detect needs and expectations in occupational safety and health,
• design safety devices and measures, and co-ordinate their set-up,
• develop tools to better anticipate and assess human, social and economical costs of occupational accidents and diseases.

For more information please consult the standing orders of the International Section of the ISSA on Prevention in the Construction Industry in English [ 2 - Standing Orders.pdf 12.89 kB ], French [ 1 - Standing Orders.pdf 15.57 kB ], Spanish [ 3 - Standing Orders.pdf 13.20 kB ] or German [ 4 - Standing Orders.pdf 17.63 kB ].

Structure

Its two executive bodies are the General Assembly  and the Bureau . The General Assembly  is composed of the members of the Section and shall meet once every three years. The Section’s members elect the Bureau, which is composed of a Chairperson , four Vice-Chairpersons  and a Secretary General .

The Section is funded by membership fees which are determined by the Bureau.

Members of the Bureau

Chairperson:

Gérard Ropert
Directeur Général, Caisse régionale d'assurance-maladie d'Ile de France (Cramif), 17-19, place de l'Argonne, 75019 Paris, France.
T: +33 140 05 38 02, F: +33 140 34 43 52, E: construction.issa@cramif.cnamts.fr.

Vice Chairpersons:

Jutta Vestring
Geschäftsführerin, Berufsgenossenschaft der Bauwirtschaft, Hauptverwaltung, Hildegardstr. 29/30, 10715 Berlin, Germany.
T: +49 30 85781-503, F: +49 30 85781-500, E: jutta.vestring@bgbau.de.

Carl Heyrman
Directeur Général, CNAC/NAVB, Rue St-Jean 4, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium.
T: +32 2 552 05 02, F: +32 2 552 05 59, E: carl.heyrman@navb.be.

Luís Alves Dias
Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), DECivil - Secço de Estruturas e Construção, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049 001 Lisboa, Portugal.
T: +351 21 841 83 37, F: +351 21 841 83 40, E: ldias@civil.ist.utl.pt.

Knut Ringen
The Center for Construction, Research and Training, 2610 SW 151st Place, Seattle, WA98166, USA.
T: +1 301 206 444 9811, F: +1 301 206 444 9832, E: knutringen@msn.com.

J.M. Warning
Stichting Arbouw, Ceintuurbaan 2, Postbus 213, 3840 AE Harderwijk, Netherlands.
T: +31 341 46 62 00, F: +31 341 46 62 11, E: warning@arbouw.nl.

Secretary General :

Jean-Claude Poirier
Directeur du service Prévention des risques professionnels, Caisse Régionale d’Assurance Maladie d’Ile-de-France (Cramif), 17/19 place de l'Argonne, 75019 Paris, France.
E: jean-claude.poirier@cramif.cnamts.fr.

Working Groups

There are three working groups on:

• International Survey on Co-ordination of Safety and Health at Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites
• Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems in Construction
• ESCI : Exchange of information on practical Solutions to reduce the physical workload in the Construction Industry.