29 construction stakeholders guilty of breaching health and safety provisions

During a Gozo Court Sitting held last Wednesday, Magistrate Neville Camilleri handed down 29 judgments in which a number of construction project clients, construction project supervisors, building contractors, self-employed persons, hotel directors and managers, and a quarry owner were found guilty, and fined the €32,300 between them.

The prosecuting officer in these cases was David Saliba, Head Technical Operations at the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

Six construction project clients were charged before the Gozo Courts of failing to appoint project supervisors in terms of LN 281/04; Four construction project supervisors were charged with failing to carry out proper supervision at construction sites and during construction works.

11 building contractors were charged with failing to adhere to various occupational health and safety provisions, while six self-employed were charged with failing to safeguard their own health and safety as well as that of others.

One quarry owner was charged with failing to compile a Health and Safety file with regards to his quarry.

Four hotel directors and two hotel managers were charged with failing to carry out risk assessments and fire drills and did not appoint Workers health and safety representatives.

A number of other accused persons were each fined €100 each for failing to appear in court despite having been duly notified.

A total of 34 persons appeared in these 29 cases.

In a separate case, Magistrate Edwina Grima found a building contractor guilty and fined him €10,000 for failing to adhere to the various health and safety provisions resulting in injuries to two of his workers.