The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) is eyeing changes to safety laws following the death of a 19-year-old on Tuesday after a fall at a Pietà construction site.

OHSA CEO Mark Gauci said the authority is looking to amend the law in order to better safeguard the health and safety of workers.

Dr Gauci noted people carrying out construction work often acted as health and safety supervisors instead of having competent and qualified people to do the job.

“Unfortunately this is leading to dangerous and at times tragic situations,” he said.

Dr Gauci pointed out that legally all construction sites should employ a health and safety supervisor at the design stage and at the construction stage.

This is leading to dangerous and at times tragic situations

“The same supervisor can oversee these two stages if adequately qualified,” he explained.

The OHSA must be notified in writing of all construction projects with a duration of more than 30 days employing 20 people, or those longer than 500 days.

This written notification has to be sent to the authority four weeks before a project begins.

Dr Gauci emphasised that all health and safety plans need to be drawn up before any construction works begin. Health and safety supervisors are responsible for overseeing the works and coordinating between contractors.

These supervisors should in-form their clients about the competence of the contractors and advise how health and safety resources should be best used.

Dr Gauci said health and safety supervisors should also encourage construction workers or their representatives to voice their opinions about any safety concerns they may have.