Etek calls for construction companies to obey laws after building collapse

The scientific and technical chamber (Etek) on Friday called on construction companies to comply with the law, after the top floor of a building which was under construction in Limassol collapsed earlier this week.

“Compliance with Cypriot legislation and the relevant provisions is not a formal procedure, but an essential condition for the safe execution of work,” it said, before adding that construction companies must “study … supporting formwork and other temporary structures” before constructing a building.

It said that 60 per cent of accidents at construction sites both in Cyprus and in Europe are “linked to omissions or deficiencies” which occur “before the start of the execution of the project work”, typically “in the design stage and the tender process”.

However, it also noted that a “significant percentage” of accidents at construction sites come about “due to insufficient supervision and control of the required preventative and protective measures”.

“The control of the adequacy of temporary structures must cover the entire process, from the design, selection, and certification of the system to its installation, supervision, use, and dismantling,” it said.

It also pointed out that the legislation requires that temporary supports around buildings and their placement “be designed and calculated by a competent person”, and said that the “training and certification framework” for those involved in this process must be “strengthened”.

“We must treat safety and health issues equally with quality and cost issues, while compliance with legislation and the cultivation of a culture of prevention constitute the minimum required framework,” it said.

The civil engineers’ association had explained that the under-construction building which collapsed in Limassol did so as during the pouring of wet concrete, part of the temporary support structure collapsed.