The Minister for Justice and Construction Sector Reform, Jonathan Attard, announced the implementation of a Budget 2026 measure, as a new training programme in health and safety at the workplace was launched.
With an investment of €400,000 spread over twenty-four months, this programme will be implemented by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) and will be available free of charge to small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the self-employed in different sectors.
During the launch of this programme, Minister Attard stressed that this investment represents another concrete step in the Government’s commitment to invest in people and strengthen the prevention of accidents in the workplace.
“This Budget measure and the continued investment are clear signs of the Government’s commitment to occupational health and safety for all workers. Just a few months after the opening of the OHSA training centre, today we are launching this investment to tangibly continue to strengthen competences and knowledge in health and safety,” stressed Minister Attard.
This investment will enable OHSA to use professional teaching methods and modern methodologies, including the possibility of online learning, flexible schedules to accommodate these enterprises and the self-employed in a way that makes it easy to follow the course without pressure on the work flow. The courses have been designed to offer knowledge in a practical, effective and efficient way.
Minister Attard stressed that prevention remains the most effective form of protection, as every accident avoided continues to protect the dignity of the person and leads to a safer and more productive work environment. He also argued that this commitment to training complements enforcement, not replaces it, as greater awareness leads to better compliance and fairer and more effective enforcement.
OHSA Chief Executive Dr Josianne Cutajar said that “this project is intended to strengthen health and safety awareness competencies among small and medium-sized enterprises, which amount to more than 140,000 and represent 99% of enterprises in the country. The project also addresses self-employed workers, who are around 46,000, that is, around 15% of the workers in our country.”
She added that the training increases the awareness of employers and the self-employed who recognise their responsibilities especially in relation to identifying risks, and how to take care of them in the workplace with specific courses for different sectors, including care services, manufacturing, transport, hospitality and recreation, office workers or remote workers, as well as the beauty & wellness sector.
Head of Communications and Business Development within the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, Fabian Demicoli, said that they fully welcomed this initiative. While stressing the importance of good use of time, he stated that they will be encouraging enterprises to take up these free courses.
Application forms for the courses offered by OHSA can be found on the website ohsa.mt. Applications can be completed and sent to the Authority from today and one can call the Helpline 138 to register their interest in one of the courses offered, and the Authority will contact them back with confirmation of registration and the respective details.
Photos (MJR)
