A helpline to report health and safety issues on construction sites was contacted more than 1,000 times in its first two weeks.

The new helpline operated by between six to eight Servizz.gov agents handles everything from reports of abuse to advice on construction, health and safety.

Of the calls, more than 700 were transferred to the Building and Construction Authority while more than 200 went to the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

Massimo Vella, CEO of Servizz.gov, who released the figures to Times of Malta, said the numbers were “higher than we expected”.

“It shows that people wanted and needed a service like this,” he said.

The 138 helpline – given the digits of construction victim Jean Paul Sofia’s birthday – was launched on August 5.

Agents from Servizz.gov take the calls before directing them to the appropriate entity, either the BCA, which is responsible for safeguarding construction sites and neighbouring properties, or the OHSA, which looks after worker health and safety.

The most common calls were about dust emissions, non-compliance with BCA protocols on construction sites and fears of property damage due to nearby construction.

For the OHSA, common issues reported include workplace accidents and construction workers failing to adhere to safety regulations, such as wearing protective clothing.

Vella remarked that nearly everyone in Malta has witnessed health and safety regulations being ignored in the construction industry.

“When I see these incidents take place, I get a chill down my spine,” he said.

“If a person sees a lack of safety regulations in place, as a result, they won’t feel safe, which builds insecurity.”

He said the helpline means people now have a service to use to address their concerns.

“The spirit of 138 is that we now all have a voice,” he said.

The average time it takes to handle a call on the round-the-clock deadline to the 138 helpline is five minutes, he said.

He added that Servizz.gov had launched a programme in March that would use data analytics to improve performance across its 24 hubs.