SAO PAULO: World Cup organisers in Brazil are hoping that work can resume tomorrow/Monday on the Arena Corinthians which will host the Opening Match of the World Cup in June writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Work was halted just over a week ago after a worker, Fabio da Cruz Hamilton, died following a fall from the temporary stands. This was the third death on the project after two men were struck by a collapsing crane last November.

A condition for the resumption of work will be a high level of site supervision from the Brazilian Labour Ministry.

The crane manufacturer had blamed its collapse on subsidence, a claim which was denied by the stadium construction consortium Odebrecht.

Luiz Antonio de Medeiros, the Ministry’s regional superintendent, said: “Even if we lift the suspension of work we will ensure daily inspections from our supervisors to the stadium. We will focus on ensuring the safety of workers.”

Medeiros conceded that the construction of the Itaquerão stadium had been hampered by labour problems while accepting that some corners had been cut because of the race against time to have the stadium ready fro the World Cup.

Seven workers have died in stadium construction accidents in the World Cup run-up compared with two in South Africa.

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