Over 3,000 workers and professionals involved in the construction industry are carrying a health and safety card, the building industry consultative council (BICC) said on Tuesday. 

Speaking at a press event, parliamentary secretary for construction Chris Agius said that the BICC’s efforts to upskill the industry’s workforce have been “instrumental” for the industry.

“We need more work when it comes to health and safety and we want to make sure certification becomes obligatory for everyone,” Agius stated.

BCA to enforce safety cards

BICC chairperson Charles Buhagiar said the Building and Construction Agency will eventually be enforcing the safety cards protocol.

"We are hoping this protocol will become mandatory, including health and safety cards as being obligatory for people entering a site,” Buhagiar said.

“This course does not, in any way, exempt contractors from legal obligations related to health and safety. The course is only meant to highlight risks on-site. The contractor is still obliged to take measures to make sure the workplace is safe for everyone,” Buhagiar said.

Malta Developers' Association academy chief Ray Abela briefly described the e-construct certification course offered by the MDA. 

Both the e-construct course offered by the MDA and the course offered by the BICC provide operators with the MQF-1 level certificate needed to apply for a BICC skills card.

The construction industry skills card, which was introduced in 2019, is accompanied by a nine-hour course for workers and a 25-hour course for professionals, Buhagiar said.

“There is a lack of recognition of the health and safety risks on construction sites from foreign workers especially,” Buhagiar stated.

“Loads of these foreign workers are unaware of safe building practices and are unable to communicate properly on-site, leading to further complications,” he lamented.

Construction sector safety record

Agius said it was not true that the construction sector was the most dangerous in Malta in terms of workplace accidents and said it ranked second for workplace incidents, despite NSO figures released on Tuesday indicating otherwise.

The NSO figures found that the construction sector accounted for 18.1 per cent of non-fatal workplace injuries in 2020 - slightly more than the 18 per cent registered by the manufacturing sector. 

Sector was ‘barely regulated’ for years

Answering questions from the press about delays in reforms, Agius stated that the government wanted more consultation and feedback from stakeholders.

“The establishment of the BCA does not mean we have all the tools we need. In the coming weeks, we will be preparing new laws that will be issued for public consultation,” Agius said.

“I think it would be good to appreciate the fact that this sector was barely regulated for years,” Agius stated.

“For rules to be introduced, we need discussions between experts and people who work in the sector. After that, all we gather can then be issued for consultation,” the parliamentary secretary said.

When asked to react to criticism of a Building and Construction bill, Agius sought to reassure that the government intends on “safeguarding everyone.”

The legislation has passed parliament’s third reading and moved on to the relevant sub-committee for proposal discussion.

“I think that if there are loopholes in the law, we are planning on working more to ensure we close them, as is being discussed. There are already a number of proposals to amend legislation,” Agius said.