Limassol, Cyprus. The scientific and technical chamber (Etek) on Friday urged construction companies to comply with the law after the top floor of a building under construction in Limassol collapsed earlier this week.
Call for compliance and planning of temporary structures
Etek said compliance with Cypriot legislation and relevant provisions is essential for the safe execution of work. It added that construction companies must study supporting formwork and other temporary structures before constructing a building.
Accidents linked to early-stage omissions
Etek said 60 per cent of accidents at construction sites in Cyprus and in Europe are linked to omissions or deficiencies that occur before the start of project work, typically during the design stage and the tender process.
Supervision and control highlighted
It said a significant percentage of accidents also occur due to insufficient supervision and control of required preventative and protective measures. Etek added that control of the adequacy of temporary structures must cover the entire process, from design, selection and certification to installation, supervision, use and dismantling.
Legal requirements and training framework
Etek said legislation requires temporary supports around buildings and their placement to be designed and calculated by a competent person, and added that the training and certification framework for those involved should be strengthened.
Collapse linked to failure of temporary supports
The civil engineers’ association said the building in Limassol collapsed during the pouring of wet concrete, when part of the temporary support structure collapsed.
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