Construction helpline receives over 39,000 calls in first year
The 138 helpline is open 24/7
A helpline to report health and safety issues on construction sites received more than 39,000 calls in its first year.
In a joint statement Thursday, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Occupational Health & Safety Authority (OHSA) said the helpline received an average of 107 calls per day.
The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and reachable by dialling 138.
Just under 31,000 calls were directed to the BCA and over 8,000 to the OHSA.
OHSA CEO Josianne Cutajar said the “strong public response” was the result of recent reforms, noting there had been a significant increase in the number of inspections compared to previous years.
“Our message remains consistent: the 138 system can be a vital tool in saving lives”, she said, but noted the authority was seeing “numerous cases” where people shared photos and videos on social media without providing location details.
“Anyone witnessing such situations should use this centralised system to contact us — even anonymously — and share the relevant information so we can respond immediately,”
BCA CEO Roderick Bonnici said reforms were being introduced “to promote a stronger culture of responsibility and professionalism within the sector”, noting that the introduction of skills cards for the construction industry would be introduced “in the coming weeks”.
Construction Reform Minister Jonathan Attard said the helpline demonstrated the government’s “firm commitment to improving standards in the construction sector”.