The Construction Technology Institute (AIDICO) took part today as a specialist organisation in the Congress on the Prevention of Risk at Work in the construction sector, which was organized by the Basque Institute for Safety and Occupational Hazards, OSLAN.

The Congress brought together construction companies, representatives from field of prevention, prevention services and social intermediaries (unions, business associations, etc) in order to deal with issues causing most concern in the construction sector with regard to health, safety and hygiene.
In the meeting, held today and tomorrow, in San Sebastián, Carlos Lozano – head of AIDICO’s safety elements laboratory – gave a speech, during which he drew special attention to legislative and technical issues related to the latest compulsory compliance legislation for temporary edge protection and safety net systems.

It is worth pointing out that at present AIDICO plays an important role in the field of safety both in Spain and in Europe. Outside of Spain it represents the national group on the European Committee, which is made up of experts from all the UE countries. The Standardization Committee (CEN/TC53/WG10) met last January in AIDICO as part of the round of ongoing meetings that are held to draw up the technical standards that must be met by equipment and protection systems for temporary work at heights in construction.

Inside Spain, AIDICO represents and upholds decisions from the national group, which is made up of important universities and technology centres ifrom the country, as well as professional associations, construction companies, companies that deal in safety and manufacturers of safety elements.

AIDICO’s specialization in safety at work, through its R&D centre on Collective Protection Equipment (Safety Elements Laboratory), aims to reduce the rate of serious injuries and death that exists in the construction sector.

In the centre, apart from verification work using full scale tests, in depth studies are carried out on materials and how they degrade during use in adverse conditions. Other activities include assessment of compliance of collective safety equipment and different working equipment used in order to carry out temporary work at heights in a correct fashion, as this is where the sector’s highest number of accidents occurs.

Similarly, it is important to highlight that AIDICO’s R&D centre collaborates with the Work Ministry in specific jobs related to health and safety at work.

AIDICO belongs to the Network of Technology Institutes from the Region of Valencia (REDIT) and is driven by the Regional Department of Industry, Trade and Innovation.