Two workers injured in roof collapse

Nathalie Vella

Jul 28th 2010, 16:17

Who said they were adding another storey?
How typical that you should jump ot that conclusion!

Buttigieg carmel

Jul 28th 2010, 14:04

building an additional floor where the first one wasn't strong enough??? only in Malta

Ryan Grima

Jul 28th 2010, 13:38

The Architect should have done his job properly. I do not blame the builders nor the owners of the apartment. The architect should have instructed for a new roof to be done before giving the go ahead to build on top. The roof caved in at the very early stage of this project. This architecht has definitely not done his job right and unfortunately this happens on a regular basis on this island. Architects giving the go ahead and roofs keep on collapsing.

jeremy cassar

Jul 27th 2010, 20:58

as seen in the video - a crane and a truck (tal gebel)...and all happened in the very begining of a project ...meaning stone delivery and crane to take it up onto the site. Probably overloading caused it . I am a contractor and unfortunately with the rates and prices we have to charge to get a job (because most people are still living in the 70s and want to pay the same rates as in the 70s) we tend to try and do some cost cutting by hiring a crane 3 times for the job instead of 5 or 6. Health and safety measures are sometimes seen as extra expenses too. There is absolutely no short cuts in health and safety but some people dont understand how much expenses have risen AND the building rate has been the same for about 15 to 20 years whilst the material has trippled

p caruana dingli

Jul 27th 2010, 20:41

Recently a penthouse was erected on our apartment block.
Early on in the proceedings the builder uploaded many stones/bricks onto the ceiling of the apartment below. Luckily and I repeat luckily, the ceiling held.

My point is, what criteria does the builder use to know how much weight the ceiling can withstand. I have a horrible feeling that in most cases it is 'rule of thumb' (guesswork).

I stand to be corrected.

r.cutajar

Jul 27th 2010, 19:43

Re Aldo Busutill,Sir ,Please note Very Carefully . Many jobs are dangerous by the very nature involved of the intrinsically many variables involved weather it is physical or dynamic not to mention that these usually go hand in hand --however there are always ways to reduce liabilities but as the story goes Safety measures costs money and time -wish I could elaborate! Well in this case ? one simple although not necessary cheap presuming the guys where on top of the roof--- they should have had a safety harness and the corresponding layard ( with a built-in shock absorber to dampen the jerking / shock in case of a sudden fall ) in turn the lanyard would have to be attached to a form of structure on top af the workers . In the worst case scenario a crane can always be used to have the lanyard attached , please do not try to think that a crane for each worker is needed .Things could be simple or complicated as per each case in hand
AND IF THE WORKERS HAD TO WORK FROM BELOW yes a crane should have been always in place with special steel wire ropesHoldingTheRoofUnderTension tooShortHere!

James A. Tyrrell

Jul 27th 2010, 19:09

We keep hearing these famous words in Malta; "For some reason the roof caved in." Roofs seem to cave in on a regular basis in Malta for whatever reason. If this was happening so regularly in any other country the Government through their Health & Safety executive would be doing their best to find out why and dealing with the problem. Would someone from Government or Maltese Health & Safety, if such a thing exists, care to report on their progress so far in identifying the problem? Or perhaps the attitude is that a few deaths and injuries here and there is something that can be lived with.

oliver mallia

Jul 27th 2010, 17:24

@s Mifsud

During video, part from18 to the 24sec it shows that the collapsed floor was attached about 3cm to the wall? Am I right? If yes why?

smifsud

Jul 27th 2010, 16:08

the real first question is WHAT CAUSED THE ROOF TO COLLAPSE?....this along with the safety equipment questions and safety precations that should have been takin before the job was to commence ...the other questions is the building codes of malta and roofs are to be investigated as this an ongoing issue on the island ,,,,you have to find the ROOT CAUSE of this ongoing issue ....i would think that the contractor is NOT DOING ITS DUE DILLEGENCE here before starting the job and the workers lack safety training and safety procedures and equipment ...enuff said ....

I Abela

Jul 27th 2010, 13:17

Patrick, can you mention just ONE wearable protective equipment which can avoid injuries if a concrete roof collapses on you. Nothing proved you right. Stop kidding please.

Laura Falzon

Jul 27th 2010, 12:52

Luckily noone was living there.
Like two months ago I found a notice of the Malta planning authority stuck to the wall of our apt. Apparently the builder from which I bought my apartment 10 years ago decided to build a penthouse on our roof. Why does the planning authority even accept these things? Noone thinks of the people living underneath, the noise, the dust (we have people with asthma) the huge risk that our lives will be in., and the damage that will probably occur to our residence.

Of course, The important is that big fat pockets get even fatter.

Patrick Sacco

Jul 27th 2010, 11:25

Were they wearing any form of protective equipment? If not time has proved me right again. In Malta we never take our life seriously - we simply NEVER learn!