Of the eight fatal work-related accidents recorded in the last 20 months, six have been of foreigners working in the construction industry. Claudia Calleja reports 

The number of foreigners injured in work-related accidents has more than doubled over the past four years while the majority of deaths in 2018 and 2019 were of foreigners in the construction industry, recent figures show.

Meanwhile, the number of nationals getting injured on the job has dropped, according to statistics obtained from the National Statistics Office.

While the majority of workplace accidents still involve nationals, statistics show a gradual and consistent shift in numbers year after year.

The number of foreigners getting injured at work reached 538 last year compared to 214 in 2014 – an increase of 324 non-fatal cases. However, the number of nationals injured dropped by 250, to 2,714 in 2018.

This, coupled with recent figures on the number of fatalities, paints a picture of vulnerability amongst foreign workers.

This year there have been four fatal work-related accidents registered until August 1 – all included workers in the construction industry.

Three involved foreign workers: On August 1 a 28-year-old worker from North Macedonia died after suffering an electric shock on a construction site in Attard; in June a 23-year-old man from Mali died when he fell four storeys from a building site in Qawra; and in March an Italian man in his 40s died at a construction site in St Julian’s after falling from an undisclosed height.

Similarly, last year there were four fatal accidents – all in the construction industry – and three of the victims were also foreign.

“The main risks emanate from a lack of training and supervision. Foreign workers are often assigned tasks which are beyond their abilities and competences, and which are often compounded by a lack of suitable communication skills,” Occupational Health and Safety Authority chief executive Mark Gauci told The Sunday Times of Malta.

“Furthermore, such workers are not aware of their rights (let alone their responsibilities) so that it is often difficult for them to approach the state agencies which are empowered to help them.”

Speaking during a memorial to celebrate the life of Diedy Coulibaly – the 23-year-old Mali man who died in June – his friend Abraham Livingston spoke about the urgent need to address the exploitation of migrant workers. He said they were often put to work with no safety equipment and offered poor wages in return.

Shifting trends

A look at the non-fatal accidents between 2014 and 2018 shows that, while the majority of accidents still involved nationals, there has been a gradual drop in this category and a sharp increase in accidents involving foreigners, especially non-EU nationals.

When it comes to accidents involving nationals and EU nationals, most accidents took place in the manufacturing and retail trade industry. For non-EU nationals most accidents were in construction.

“Essentially these figures confirm the same findings replicated in all other EU countries, namely that foreign workers and self-employed persons are to be considered as ‘vulnerable groups’ as they are proportionately involved in more accidents than other groups,” Mr Gauci said referring to the statistics on fatalities at work.

Many are engaged in what is often referred to as ‘three D’ jobs: ‘dirty’, ‘dangerous’, and ‘difficult’ (or ‘demeaning’)

He explained that the law provides for specific protection and prevention measures which are required to be taken by dutyholders so that such vulnerable groups are adequately protected at all times.

“It has been mentioned that such preventive/protective measures should be specific – by this is meant that the dutyholder should ensure that he/she can adequately communicate with such persons, provide the necessary training and ensure that they have been made aware of the prevailing risks and the measures required to be taken – in the majority of cases, such preventive measures should also include an increased level of supervision to ensure that all measures indicated are being taken,” he said.

He added that the OHSA was working on increasing awareness about such vulnerable groups. It recently organised a seminar on the matter and prepared a short document outlining the rights and duties of workers, which is used during training sessions for foreign workers provided by the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality. The authority is also working to have this document translated into the major languages used by foreign workers in Malta.

The social impact

Earlier this year UĦM Voice of the Workers CEO Josef Vella said some foreign workers were being paid as little as €1 an hour,

He expressed concerns over the fact that Malta was experiencing an influx of foreigners who came to the island in search of work. The union has often warned that the entry of non-EU nationals into Malta’s employment market should be limited to highly qualified workers, as too much emphasis on cheap labour would negatively impact wage levels.

The situation, he said, was leading to precarious work and exploitation. The social impact of all this emerged over the past weeks when the living conditions of many migrants were exposed during several evictions resulting from the fact that countless migrants resorted to living in illegal dwellings including Marsa stables.

Why are migrant/foreign workers vulnerable?

Many are engaged in what is often referred to as “three D” jobs: ‘dirty’, ‘dangerous’, and ‘difficult’ (or ‘demeaning’) or jobs which local workers no longer want to perform.

The rise in human trafficking and exploitative working conditions only add to the health and safety risks faced by migrant workers.

Due to their overrepresentation in certain jobs or sectors, migrants can be at greater risk for workplace accidents, injuries, ill-health and even death. This often adds to the risk of migrants falling into poverty traps.

Language barriers often prohibit effective interactions with their employers and also with government inspectors, and low awareness of their employment rights

In addition, migrants, especially unregistered ones, have a fear of state agencies, thereby are less likely to seek information about their rights.

Language barrier and cultural differences often mean that health and safety campaigns or messages do not reach them. Work practices at their country of origin may be illegal in the host country.

Possible abuse of the employment status of migrant workers by employers. Rather than directly being employed, migrants may tend to accept a self-employed status to circumvent employers’ duties at law.

Source: OHSA

Injured migrant: My boss abandoned me

A year ago Mohammed*, a plasterer by profession from the Ivory Coast, was operating a crane on the construction site where he was working when he lost control of the machine and his arm got crushed against a wall.

His boss ran up to him. His words were: “Don’t call the ambulance or I’ll get a €15,000 fine.”

Mohammed trusted his boss. He had been working for him for about two years. So he did as he was told.

“I took about 15 minutes. I was told him to call someone because I was in a lot of pain. He drove me to hospital, stopped me outside emergency and left. Before driving off he reminded me not to mention him,” he says speaking on condition of anonymity.

Mohammed walked into the emergency department. Alone. Soon he was surrounded by hospital staff. They had questions.

My advice to others is – do the right thing. Your boss will say anything that will favour him and then he will forget you

“I told them that I hurt when doing my own work,” he said. After undergoing surgery he remained in hospital for over two weeks. The questions continued but he stuck to his story. He never told them where he got injured or that he did not have the necessary skills to operate a crane.

“I didn’t want my boss to get a fine. I was also afraid because I didn’t have a work permit back then,” he said. But the more he repeated his story, the more foolish he felt.

“I felt foolish. My boss never came to see me. He told me that when I’d get better he’d support me with some money. It never happened. When I tried calling him, he was always too busy. I lied to protect him and he was just doing what was in his interest,” he said.

“My advice to others is – do the right thing. Your boss will say anything that will favour him and then he will forget you. I will never do such a thing again in my life because it hurt me a lot.”

*Name and personal details have been changed.

Non-fatal/fatal accidents at work

Non-fatal

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Nationals	2981	2852	2891	2826	2714
EU Nationals	95	118	149	155	227
Non-EU Nationals	119	142	180	201	311
Total Foreigners	214	260	329	356	538
Total	3,195	3,112	3,220	3,182	3,252

(Source: Department of Social Security via NSO)

Fatal

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019 (till Aug 1)
Fatal Total	4	5	7	1	4	4
Construction	3	3	4	1	4	4
Foreigners in construction	2	0	3	0	3	3

(Source: OHSA)