Minister for Public Works and Planning, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, and Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue, Andy Ellul, addressed a special session of the Maltese Council for Social and Economic Development (MCESD) which dealt with the subject of health and safety in the workplace. The meeting was called at the request of the Secretary General of the General Workers Union, Josef Bugeja.
Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi said that there needs to be full commitment from all those involved to strengthen the culture in favour of more health and safety in the workplace while better defining the responsibilities of everyone in this field. He explained that the role of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) is not restricted only to construction sites but to every other workplace in the country.
He added that there is a need to have a broad discussion about health and safety in the workplace considering the changes that are taking place where importance should be given to repetitive work, mental health, and other risks that come with new work practices. He said that OHSA will continue to enhance its commitment and resources to create awareness, in particular among foreign workers, by, among other things, inviting them to participate in information meetings about their health and safety at the workplace.
“It is essential to increase the training for workers and raise awareness about health and safety in the workplace for everyone who offers services linked to this field. It is just as important to expose the shortcomings in this area and, on the other hand, to reward those who adopt best practices, including employers who are providing the best health and safety environment in their workplace. The work done for health and safety should not be considered as an expense but as an investment,” concluded Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi.
Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul said that “it is good to discuss the laws that we want to improve and legislate to see that there really is safety at the workplace. However, it is also important that the laws are not only on paper, but they are followed and enforced.” He added that in this regard, there is also a need for a change in everyone’s mentality to observe safety and health standards.
The parliamentary secretary stated that one of the problems being faced is that of a lack of workers in the construction sector, and because of this, many are resorting to unskilled foreign workers, a phenomenon that brings new challenges as these workers need time to be given the necessary training.
The CEO of OHSA also made a detailed presentation on the work carried out by the authority. Several representatives of the social partners gave their contributions to the discussion held on the subject.
