The Union Haddiema Maghqudin recently held a press conference where they called for all parties concerned to make sure that workers were carrying out their duties in a safe and protected manner.

The conference was convened in the wake of two fatalities which resulted from workplace injuries. As has often been the case of late, the people involved were foreign and they were working on a construction site. However, as soon as the conference was reported, the MLP hit out in criticism at the state of affairs and that statement was then rebutted by the government.

True, everyone has a right to say what their opinion on an issue is. But when people are dying at work (and at quite an alarming rate to say the least) should we be exchanging statements on such issues? Would it perhaps not make more sense to gather everyone round the discussion table to try and find a way to stop all this?

The bitter truth is that there are many reasons as to why so many people get injured, especially in the construction sector. Take a look around. How many workers do we see wearing harnesses and hard hats? How many home made dangerous contraptions are made to try to reach an area to paint? How many times do you drive past a construction site and see people hanging precariously outside windows to reach something that needs attention? In all honesty, the work practices regarding construction in Malta are, by and large, shambolic. It is also an open secret that many Maltese people work in construction on the sly, while they are claiming benefits. Some of the workers are illegal foreign nationals. In turn, they accept a lower pay with inferior conditions and that includes their own safety. It is very wrong.

The matter should be taken by the horns and sorted out once and for all. Employers should be obliged to provide for their workers’ safety. However, we must also point out that there is an element of blame to be pinned on the workers. Some of them like to put on a macho display by not using hardhats and not using their harnesses and this is downright stupid. What we need is an education campaign for both employers and employees. The country really does need to boost its safety record as not a few weeks go by without hearing that someone has fallen from some height or another while carrying out construction work.

More than anything, we need a culture change. It is indeed very strange, our mentality. There was a time when you could not get a Maltese motorist to wear a seatbelt for love or money. Yet after tough fines were put into effect and an education campaign, we have the highest safety belt compliance rate in Europe.

But again, this is not a matter to be politicised, it is indeed rather disrespectful in our opinion to be trading press release-based insults between the political parties when someone has just died. Thumbs up to the UHM for raising the issue in a prudent and respectful manner and in trying to raise some awareness about it. But a real thumbs down to those who tried to make a political issue out of it.