Man injured in fall

Adrian Vella

Dec 29th 2011, 15:10

Having watched the 8 o'clock news yesterday (28.12.2011) one gets a different picture then that portrayed by some. In particular are comments made by Beppe Pisani. One contractor alone fined 10,000 in one case, others were handed down with suspended imprisonment sentences whilst another good number of other contractors were fined over 124,000 Euros. (In one year alone)
Is the OHSA really incompetent, and if they are, would you make a better job ! one wonders! As to the many people leaving the OHSA, because of grudges .... would you be one of them! Was it perhaps a case that new brooms sweep better! Mr Pisani, You criticize the OHSA for not enforcing the laws then figures published show different .... easy to slander people here but facts are facts and they too speak for themselves with the difference that they are factual whilst your comments are merely that. If these, as you refer to them are idiotic policies..... and work I would hesitate to see what you would do and what changes you would effect and more so.... if they would work and leave the desired result. Sure no doubt that every entity leaves room for improvement but lets ALL call a spade a spade and encourage these people to continue with their work.

George Giordmaina

Dec 24th 2011, 16:44

Hi People,
I am involved is some scaffolding works and you have to be there or try to do the job before to much bla bla,
yes in this country we have enough education and enforcement on health and safety ,
Health and safety officers do come and sometimes they make us headache (ok for our safety I can understand and I agree) Scaffolders are there to make safe for other people but its the nature of the job that is so dangerous. you have to be there have a look or try the job to understand how scaffold will be erected. Scaffolders have a harness and must be hooked but sometimes you are in a position like for eg you have a 21 feet pipe ,3.5 mtr pipe or board 3 mtr you have to walk on boards while holding the pipe with both hands, that is what makes danger to scaffold.
This particular worker had a harness and was hooked but he still had an impact on his leg and he was more frightened than injured he had a 2 meters long rope we call it lanyard luckily. Yes safety is our priority.

Beppe Pisani

Dec 23rd 2011, 08:58

The ohsa is run by incompetent people. They are competent in their past endeavours but not in safety and health. The important factor for some people at the ohsa is to prosecute for petty mishaps and the real sharks (employers) are left to lurk around. They fanfare they have prosecute clients (sic) and ‘won’ thousands of euro but in real facts they have achieved nothing!! Some clients that have been prosecuted did not know that the concerned legislation exists!! The ohsa should focus on practical enforcement ON-SITE and not squandering the limited resources they got in stupid court cases prosecuting some client for not sending a notification form!! The best people at the ohsa left this entity in grudge due these idiotic management policies. Every employer knows that at present no one want to be employed by to the ohsa due to some of these facts. OHS must be won on-site, in factories, in quarries, in construction sites, in ship yards etc and not in a court room. Prosecuting must be the last resort and not an automatic switch just to get a day off and go with a full suit to court to be pampered by the well dressed establishment. The ohsa can legally implement administrative fines. Where and what happened to these??

Lisa Young

Dec 22nd 2011, 21:18

There is not enough education and enforcement on health and safety in this country.

I hope that the man recovers quickly and his family have a blessed Christmas.

Joseph Zammit

Dec 22nd 2011, 19:35

Dear Mr Murray,
There is one thing that I do not agree with you, and that is when you said that a worker working above two metres should use a safety harness, I'm sorry to tell yoo that you are in the wrong, because as this particular worker was working on a scaffolding he does not need a safety harness because the scaffolding should have double handrails on each working platform. Safety harnesses should be used where no handrails or any other type of handrails to stop a worker from falling are not available. And please do not mantion the Ohsa as this so called safety assosiation is there just to sit on its behind.

J.Zammit

Peter Murray

Dec 22nd 2011, 17:55

Dear Joe Grech,

Perhaps you read my letter published recently in the Times accompanied by a photo of some typical cowboys working on scaffolding to answer your question.When working at a height of two(2) metres or more above ground ,irrespective of whether working on a scaffold or not,a fall -restraint harness(fall -arrester) must worn and when thisisi attached to an inertia reel it alaows the worker unrestrained and unrestricted movement and prevents such the worker from falling more than a couple of feet in every case.If none was supplied by the worker's employer or he didn't wear it ,in any event,it is still the fault of the employer as this must be ensured.What action will the OHSA take ?We will never know as no conclusions are ever promulgated and why does it subnsequently require a magistrate to investigate such work-related incidents?

charlie caruanasmith

Dec 22nd 2011, 17:32

any1 know who it was need to know asap

charlie caruanasmith

Dec 22nd 2011, 17:27

any names need to know asap

Joe Grech

Dec 22nd 2011, 17:13

Is the Chairperson heading the so called Occupational Health and Safety Authority really quite up to it - I mean, to ensure that this farcical entity does something to ensure these incidents - and deaths - will stop happening?
Or is the Chairperson perhaps just an inefficient political appointee?
People have a right to know these things. Malta's supposed OHSA is simply a ridiculous and inefficient farce!

Michael Camileri

Dec 22nd 2011, 16:07

This happens far too much in Malta