The Nationalist Party (PN) is requesting that project supervisors get more support and are given greater authority to prevent more construction site deaths.

In a statement, the PN said that immediate improvements are needed to improve health and safety practices at the workplace. It pointed out that 12 people lost their lives during the last months and that this clearly indicates that current practices need to be reviewed or changed according to today's needs and according to high health and safety standards.

In response to the construction site deaths, the PN is looking to communicate with all stakeholders on this matter.

Spokesperson for the maritime sector and employment, Ivan Castillo and spokesperson for planning, research and innovation, Stanley Zammit spoke to Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners Association (MOSHPA) to discuss health and safety in the workplace.

The main objective of MOSHPA is to improve health and safety standards in any type of workplace, not only that of construction.

The PN said that the MOSHPA have a lot to offer and share with the Occupational Health and Safety Association (OHSA).

It added that MOSHPA said that a lot of project supervisors were being treated as criminals when they were doing what was expected from them and asking for guidance where needed.

The PN said that the OHSA is responsible to give guidance and provide project supervisors with clear solutions. The PN further said that it was shocked when it found out that there were instances when guidance was requested because clients or contractors did not cooperate with their instructions, but instead the project supervisors were scrutinised for doing their job.

It suggested that OHSA must have a clear set of work practices, accessible and communicated in the clearest way, which project supervisors can refer to and use as a guideline in their assessment and decisions.

Also, it said that project supervisors should have more authority to stop works where hazards exist.

The PN said that project supervisors cannot be left alone by the OHSA. It emphasised that the OHSA needs to work more closely with health and safety professionals.

It also suggested that project supervisors should be involved from the design stage of projects, to ensure that all health and safety measures are included in the method statement and implemented from the earliest stages of the project, even before the contractor is chosen.