Accidents on construction sites

As a former dockyard worker who witnessed many tragedies during my 46 years at Malta Drydocks, I cannot but express my solidarity with the families in mourning for lost ones on construction sites. At the same time I feel very sad and concerned about the recent numerous fatalities at the place of work.

Most of the accidents - like those that happen at the Drydocks - are due to negligence, unsafe working place and equipment not regularly tested.

It seems that while the workmen are not taking all the precautions necessary to avoid such unpredictable deaths, the authorities are not doing enough in inspecting the worksites to see that all safety regulations are adhered to. It is an open secret that many people are seen working on dangerous platforms without a harness, safety helmet and safety shoes. Most of the machinery used, such as cranes, are hardly ever tested. It is useless to have regulations and update them to EU standards if they are not then enforced.

When a workman dies, the contractor finds another to take his place; but his family - wife and children - are left without a breadwinner, apart from the wife losing her husband and the children their father.

Surely, the authorities have to see thoroughly what the cause of these frequent deaths is and what more could be done to make the place of work safer. I am sorry that very few people in responsible places showed their concern and sought to dig deep into what is happening. It seems that a life of a human being is cheap for many and it is no longer a tragedy to hear of a lost life at the place of work.

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Authority, crane accidents are caused by unsafe work practices. The various issues identified as being the cause of work accidents include undue pressure on contractors from clients to finish a project before its natural term of duration. Here occupational health and safety are sacrificed. Another is the forfeiting of OHS safeguards and quality of products used, to save money I suppose.

The OHSA backed the Chamber of Engineers' call for hefty penalties against offenders.

So far as I am aware, notwithstanding all this, I have not heard yet any MP or minister uttering a word about more accurate and focused legislation on the use of tower and mobile cranes (and other potentially dangerous machinery) as the Chamber of Engineers called for. The present legislation dealing with cranes (and with other worksites for that matter) is outdated as chamber president Alexander Tranter said.

So let us not wait for more such deaths and legislate and enforce without losing more precious time.