Both the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (Mivhed), and the Ministry of Labor have undertaken inspections of the towers being built in Greater Santo Domingo and the National District, to monitor compliance with the standards set forth in the construction regulations.
SANTO DOMINGO – Regarding the Ministry of Labor's suspension of 15 construction projects, the Dominican Association of Housing Builders and Developers (Acoprovi) stated yesterday that when there is no serious and imminent risk, it is not necessary to halt construction, arguing that such a measure negatively impacts the economy and job creation provided by the construction industry in the country.
In statements sent to El Inmobiliario, Annerys Meléndez, president of the association, indicated that the main purpose of the inspections should be to verify and guarantee compliance with safety measures, recognizing that workplace safety is a matter of utmost importance.
"Although workplace safety is of vital importance, it is also important to consider that when there is no serious and imminent risk, it is not necessary to halt construction work, since the main purpose of inspections should be to verify and guarantee compliance with safety measures, rather than affecting the economy and the job creation that construction brings to the country," the business leader explained.
Last Sunday, the Ministry of Labor reported that during special operations in construction sectors of the National District, 15 construction projects were halted due to a lack of safety and health that endangered the physical integrity of the workers.
As a result of the sessions, the agency explained, 380 reports were drawn up , of which 304 are warnings or notices about non-compliance and 76 are for infractions such as lack of a joint safety and health committee , absence of signage , failure to provide personal protective equipment , lack of first aid kits and fire extinguishers.
Meléndez assured that Acoprovi permanently promotes good practices in worker safety and health in the construction sector.
He explained that, “construction is an activity that, by its very nature, carries inherent risks. Therefore, weurge that all precautionary measures established in current regulations be implemented at every construction site. We also recognize that, depending on the location or certain specific conditions, there may be factors that increase the level of risk, which requires greater attention and control.”
He explained that the country has made significant progress in workplace safety in the construction sector since the enactment of regulation 522-06 on occupational safety and health. “Proof of this is that more and more construction projects are correctly and thoroughly implementing safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), the installation of physical barriers, and adequate warning signage. This is evident in the work of the authorities in managing these types of cases, as they are becoming fewer and fewer relative to the number of construction projects underway in the city,” he noted.
He added that compliance with safety and hygiene measures is fundamental in construction to protect the safety of workers and the well-being of the community.
He pointed out that the union he leads provides its members with continuous training and practical resources to verify, step by step, that a project complies with safety standards, including checklists with prevention and control measures, updated periodically to guarantee their effectiveness.
"This reaffirms Acoprovi's commitment to fostering compliance with current regulations, as well as promoting the necessary health and safety standards to guarantee safe and quality construction," concluded Annerys Meléndez.
