Building sites are not being checked by Occupational Health and Safety Authority inspectors because there are no cars available for them, the Times of Malta has learnt.
Sources said the problem started last December when the lease of the authority’s vehicles expired and a contract to lease six others to replace was terminated and is being contested in court.
Arrangements were made to rent two cars but many employees were unable to work – especially since the original seven had been boosted to 17.
The situation, however, improved slightly this week after this newspaper sent questions to the Social Dialogue Ministry, which is responsible for the OHSA.
Inspectors are reporting to work but cannot do their job
The e-mail was sent just after 1pm on January 20. Although replies were not forthcoming, sources said that, as soon as the questions were received, an order was issued for another two cars to be rented immediately to add to the two that had been brought in as a temporary measure.
Sources said the authority issued a call for quotations for the temporary lease of a fleet of four cars. The call had a 24-hour time window, with a pledge to inform the winning bidder within two hours of the closing time and the cars to be supplied by 8am on January 22.
‘Site irregularities rampant in Malta’
According to the conditions attached to the call, the cars had to be hatchback, air-conditioned, have five doors and a five-speed manual petrol engine. Other specifications include remote central locking, electric windows, tinted glass, a minimum of four airbags, a radio, a seatbelt alarm and an odometer that calculates distances in kilometres not miles.
Sources said two cars were delivered and, although the situation improved slightly, four cars were too few for 17 officials to share, leading to more frustration.
“Inspectors are reporting to work but cannot do their job because they do not have any cars to take them around. There is one general purpose car but it can hardly be used for inspections,” sources close to the OHSA told the Times of Malta.
Sources said there were rampant irregularities at building sites all over the island, including in Gozo, and it is only through surprise inspections that these can be controlled.
The situation contrasts starkly with the pledge to beef up the authority’s resources to tackle the rampant abuse.
Official statistics show that, between January and June last year, the OHSA carried out more than 1,000 inspections in various workplaces.
The OHSA issued 91 letters regarding administrative fines and opened 103 court cases.
During the same period, the OHSA processed 2,200 lift certificates and delivered 74 hours of awareness-raising training.
During the first six months of the year, the fines imposed ranged between €250 and €1,456, and totalled €60,000.
The vast majority of infringements were in the construction sector. The most common infringement noted in this sector regarding administrative fines was the lack of appointment of a project supervisor.