A young man plunged seven storeys to his death yesterday, when he fell off the roof of a building into its shaft. He had been helping prepare the roof for concrete laying.

James Aquilina, 25, from Siggiewi, who previously worked as a vegetable vendor, was certified dead on the spot.

The police said the accident took place at around 11.50am in Triq it-Tamal, Qawra.

Duty magistrate Dr J. Apap Bologna is holding an inquiry.

Aquilina’s funeral is being held on Wednesday at 3.30pm.

The accident led to the Union Haddiema Maghqudin and the General Workers Union to call for action on the matter, and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority to remind those responsible of their obligations under the law.

The UHM, which is represented on the OHSA board, told Employment Minister Louis Galea it felt that a bigger, national effort was needed to prevent these accidents. It wanted the meeting to call for more measures by the government, such as human and financial resources for an informative and educational campaign, and a strengthening of the inspectorate.

The GWU urged Dr Galea to call a national conference without delay, to discuss occupational health and safety with all those involved. The point has been reached, it said, where such fatalities or injuries could no longer be accepted. The day’s accident, the GWU said, confirmed what it had been maintaining, about giving all the means needed to the OHSA to carry out its duties.

The OHSA was sad to note that the day’s accident was the fifth fatality in the construction industry this year. It could not enter into the merits of the accident, with an inquiry under way, the OHSA said, but it urged everyone to take all the precautions necessary to avoid such accidents.

It added it had long been insisting on the need that working on heights should have protective and adequate cover, both inside and outside the building.

There were people who had legal obligations to ensure that the law was being observed. The client who owned the building, the supervisors he appointed, the employers, directors, managers and other supervisors, all had the responsibility to implement control measures.

The OHSA added it was taking legal action against anyone abusing the law, including owners of buildings and contractors, with the law imposing up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of Lm5,000 for anyone found guilty.

The OHSA may be contacted on tel. 2124 7677/8, or by email at [email protected] or by visiting the website www. ohsa.org.mt