A new all-island safety campaign is encouraging construction companies to strengthen how workers and moving plants interact, placing practical risk controls at the centre of safer site operations.

The People-Plant-Safe Separation Campaign is being delivered by the Health and Safety Authority, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and the Construction Industry Federation. Running from 7 to 18 September 2026, the initiative combines targeted inspections with awareness activity across the construction sector.

The campaign follows 25 construction-related incidents involving plant, machinery or vehicles across the island of Ireland between 2016 and 2025. The focus is now on practical measures that can help employers, contractors, operators and workers create clearer separation between people and moving equipment.

Construction sites rely on a wide range of mobile machinery, including excavators, dumpers, telehandlers and forklifts. The campaign encourages businesses to strengthen the systems governing how this equipment is operated and how workers move around active plant areas.

The strategic significance lies in the emphasis on prevention through planning. Traffic management plans, clearly defined exclusion zones and effective communication between operators and workers can help establish safer working environments before machinery begins moving.

For health and safety professionals, the campaign also reinforces the importance of operator competence. Ensuring workers operating plants are appropriately trained and competent, alongside suitable supervision and maintenance, provides a structured approach to managing the risks associated with mobile equipment.

The Construction Industry Federation is supporting the initiative as part of its wider safety activity, reinforcing the value of cooperation between industry and regulators in developing consistent approaches to construction safety.

The campaign's inspection programme will examine the safe operation of plant and machinery, operator responsibilities and the management of people-plant interfaces. Promotional and awareness-raising activity will also provide an opportunity for construction businesses to review existing practices and reinforce safety standards.

The initiative has relevance beyond the two-week campaign period. The HSA and HSENI are encouraging continued attention to plant and machinery safety throughout the year, supporting a culture where safe separation becomes an established part of site planning and daily operations.

The collaborative approach also demonstrates how regulators and industry bodies can work together around a shared safety objective. HSA and HSENI are combining inspection activity with practical guidance, while CIF is reinforcing the message across the construction industry.

For the sector, the lesson is direct: stronger construction safety can be built into everyday site planning through clear separation, competent operators, effective traffic management and communication. The all-island campaign provides a timely opportunity for businesses to review these controls and strengthen safe working practices around moving plants.

Source: Business Eye / Health and Safety Authority / Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland