Up to 70,000 workers may be unable to return to construction sites when a Covid exemption on expired safety cards ends.
And state agency Solas could be hit with a "tsunami" of renewals from angry workers who cannot work on-site without an in date Safe Pass.
It comes just weeks before an expected return to construction sites for all workers in the sector - although an official date for return has not been set.
Thousands of workers could see their current Safe Passes turned away when Solas safety awareness courses return bringing an end to an exemption on out of date cards.
Safety courses and renewals were put on hold on March 31 last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and an amendment allowed cards which expired after March 1, 2020, to remain valid.
The amendment to the Safety regulations states that the exemption on out of date registration cards comes into effect following the "cessation of the delivery of the SOLAS Safe Pass training programme during the Covid-19 emergency," and remains in place for the "period of such cessation."
It adds that safety cards which expired after March 1st last year "shall be regarded as valid."
But when Solas training courses return, the "cessation period" will end, making it a legal requirement to hold a valid in date safety card leaving thousands scrambling to renew their pass.
Solas said its courses are currently suspended with limited exceptions for new entrants but they say the expiry date exemption will remain in place.
A spokeswoman for Solas told the Irish Daily Mirror in a statement last night: "In line with current Covid 19 restrictions, regulated safety training in the construction sector including Safe Pass and CSCS and QSCS training remains suspended with limited exceptions for new entrants working on projects that have been deemed essential.
"The Safe Pass expiry date exemption also remains in place.
"SOLAS will engage with all relevant stakeholders on the resumption of training once it is safe to do so and restrictions have been lifted."
Fergal O'Connell, an explosives technician and advocate for reform around the issuing of safety cards, told the Irish Daily Mirror the issue can be resolved with an online renewal system.
O’Connell, who was involved in a legal battle with Solas in 2017 over the renewal process, said: "All of the neighbouring countries, especially the UK, have an online system. When your card is out of date you can renew it online.
“Most construction workers who will be doing the course again are only renewing their cards. This would allow everyone renewing their card to do it online, leaving the courses open for new apprentices and new construction workers.”
This issue comes amid huge pressure mounting on the Government to fully reopen the construction sector with just 45% of the sector available to work under current restrictions.
