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Rates of accidents at work were significantly reduced in 43.7% in the 50 companies with the highest accident rate, due to the implementation of an Integral Improvement Programme.

UOCRA initiative in the Quadripartite Committee of Safety at Work.

Based on a joint work among UOCRA, the Argentinean Chamber of the Building Industry (CAMARCO), the Superintendency of Occupational Risks [SRT] and the Occupational Risk Insurers Union [UART]) agreed upon and approved Resolution 1642/09 which created the Construction Quadripartite Committee at national level whose purpose was the implementation of a monitoring programme for the 50 construction companies that suffered the highest levels of accident rates in the City of Buenos Aires and the provinces of Córdoba, Mendoza and Santa Fé (Rosario).

Due to the implementation of this programme, during year 2014, rates of accidents at work in these 50 companies were significantly reduced in 43.7%.

The tasks that allowed us to achieve this reduction in accidents, among others, were: meetings with the companies, Plan of Work submitted by the companies to the SRT, survey by the SRT, accompanied by the Institutions to the most important works and implementation of the Integral Training Programme for workers, technicians, professionals and management audited by the SRT.

The reduction of 43.70% in the average accident rate occurred among the selected companies that belonged to the following provinces, reaching a reduction of 45% in the City of Buenos Aires CABA; 42% in the Province of Buenos Aires; 53% in Córdoba; 36% in Mendoza and 39% in Santa Fe.

In this regard, the plan focuses on direct actions in the works, like the daily talks with the workers before starting work, tour through the work with those responsible for health and safety, analysis of incidents and accidents by the Method of the Problem Tree and also the preparation of a "Permit of Safe Work" prior to the tasks of: a) excavation; (b) demolition; (c) working at height; and (d) tasks on or in proximity of l medium or high-voltage equipment or networks.

Due to the inner characteristics of the industry, the building industry activity presents, in the Argentina and the world, the highest rates of accidents, above the average of other sectors of employment. However and despite they constitute only a part of the universe of companies active in the sector, the actions carried out through this program have enabled us to make an effective follow-up, observe their behaviour and improvement and contribute to improving the general conditions of work in our industry.

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