The CIF Construction Safety Campaign is running over two weeks, from 12th to 23rd October 2026, encompassing the European Week for Safety and Health at Work (19-24th October).

Under the campaign theme of Back to Basics, the CIF has identified five key sub-themes to help companies establish their own initiatives for the two-week campaign; these are as follows: Critical Risks, Health and Wellbeing, Frontline Workers, Leadership, and Beyond Compliance. Please address any queries to: [email protected]

At its heart, safety is not about new rules or complex systems. It is about leadership, culture, and people. Over the course of the campaign, we are asking companies across construction to step back, examine their safety management systems, and, most importantly, talk to their teams. Honest conversations, reflective feedback, and an openness to listen can reveal far more than any report. Safety is lived on the ground, and the people delivering our projects often see the risks most clearly.

The theme of Back to Basics was selected for the campaign in 2025 and retained for 2026 because accidents (some fatal) continue to occur on construction sites. Construction is a complex industry, but keeping people safe and healthy often comes down to getting the basics right, at all times. Most incidents do not result from people intentionally taking risks. Rather, they occur when routine tasks become overly familiar, hazards are overlooked, shortcuts are taken, or assumptions are made that someone else has carried out the necessary checks.

The objective of this campaign is simple – to renew focus on the fundamentals every day through safe behaviours, a risk-based approach, and open conversations that help safeguard the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone working in construction.

Before undertaking any task, take a moment to ask yourself:

• Do I understand the job?
• Have I reviewed the Risk Assessment Method Statement (RAMS), SPA or equivalent?
• Do I have the appropriate competency, training, equipment and PPE?
• Is my work area safe?
• What could go wrong, how can I prevent it, how do return home safely?
• Could my long-term health be affected by my actions?
• Do I need to consult or seek assistance from others?

Getting the ‘Basics’ right starts with understanding the essential controls and safe practices for your work activity or site, including:

• Safe access and egress
• Correct use of PPE
• Separation of mobile plant and people
• Follow the Hierarchy of Fall Protection – eliminating work at height where reasonably practicable
• Proper lifting and handling techniques
• Good housekeeping
• Collaboration and good communications
• Consulting supervisors
• Reporting hazards and near misses
• Stopping work if something doesn’t look right
• Considering health and wellbeing to be just as important as safety.