CIF Health & Safety Summit 2026 - 'Beyond Compliance: Building a Culture of Care'

Ireland’s construction sector came together for the CIF Health & Safety Summit 2026, on Wednesday 6th May at Croke Park.

The flagship event focused on moving beyond minimum compliance to embed a genuine culture of care across the industry. Under the theme ‘Beyond Compliance: Building a Culture of Care’, the Summit addressed the real and evolving health, safety and well-being challenges facing construction. There was a strong emphasis on leadership, collaboration and practical action, recognising that protecting workers requires more than policies alone, it demands consistent commitment at every level of an organisation.

Positioning mental well-being as a core safety principle

A central focus of the Summit was the integration of psychological and occupational health into construction safety management.

CIF Director, Safety, Education and Training Sean Downey talked about the importance of financial, mental and psychosocial gambling addiction as real issues affecting people in their day-to-day lives. “There’s a strong focus at this year’s event on worker well-being and psychological safety.”

A dedicated panel on Leadership in Action examined how companies could move beyond a traditional focus on physical hazards to also address stress, burnout, mental health literacy and workplace culture. Industry speakers shared practical experience on creating environments where employees felt supported and safe to speak up, positioning mental well-being as a core safety principle rather than an afterthought.

The importance of early intervention, strong training pathways and ongoing workforce support was also highlighted. Discussions focused on managing fatigue, ergonomic risks and site safety together, using data, technology and risk-based approaches to prevent incidents and build resilience across projects and teams.

‘Safety is the cornerstone’

A key objective of the Summit was to support the construction sector in moving from reactive responses to proactive and preventative safety practices. The Health and Safety Authority’s (HSA) Strategy 2025–2027 prioritises building and supporting compliance through education, collaboration and influence.

The CIF is also working in partnership with the HSA, focusing on campaigns to reduce serious and fatal accidents from critical hazards, including the All Island Work at Height Campaign and the new upcoming Plant and Machinery Campaign.

“Safety is the cornerstone of how people come to work safely, and they go home safely,” said Eileen O’Leary, Assistant Chief Executive at the HSA, discussing the presentations and how working safely is a key priority for all stakeholders.

‘Transformation over the last 20 years’

In addition to plenary sessions, the Summit featured interactive discussions and thematic roundtables, moderated by experienced industry professionals. These smaller group sessions encouraged open dialogue on emerging risks, digital construction trends, emergency planning and operational challenges, allowing delegates to share experiences and take away practical, actionable ideas.

“The industry has been in a transformation over the last 20 years and so it’s very interesting to see where it’s going now with all the modern technology that’s out there,” said Paul O’Shea, CEO, Ashview Consultants, on why the Summit is an important event to attend.

Special thanks

Thank you to our speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and attendees for the insight, engagement and leadership shown throughout the day. Our appreciation to our event partners in Business Post for their organisation of the Summit.