The Church has reiterated an appeal for action by the authorities to turn a new page for the building industry and end loss of life and property as a result of accidents.

In a statement, the inter-diocesan commission for the environment said the building industry is claiming an average of one life a month, the latest being a worker who died under rubble in Cospicua last week.

It recalled its statement in March after the Hamrun house collapse which claimed the life of Miriam Pace, calling on the authorities to take the difficult decisions needed to change work practices.

It said that a lack of respect for life and human dignity was continuing to persist in the building industry.

It, therefore, urged the authorities to ensure that justice was served as quickly as possible to those who had suffered as a consequence of building industry practices and to ensure that sufficient controls were introduced for this chapter to be closed once and for all.