The Nationalist Party has proposed the introduction of a mandatory Health and Safety Skills Card by 2027 and also giving stronger powers to the Occupational Health & Safety Authority.

The proposals were put forward in an amendments to a legal notice which the PN said contained a number of positive elements, but which also contained “several serious shortcomings.”

“Health and safety at work have always been a priority for the PN, as reflected in its policies and the amendments it has put forward to the Government’s Legal Notice concerning workers in the construction sector,” the party said.

It noted that it was, in fact, a Nationalist-led Government that, in the year 2000, introduced the first comprehensive law on occupational health and safety and established the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA).

To this day, this authority continues to play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and decent working environment for all.

The PN said that it has remained consistent when it comes to safety standards, and noted that “it was thanks to its pressure that the Government finally conceded to a public inquiry into the tragic death of Jean Paul Sofia - a workplace fatality which, like others, could have been avoided.”

The Sofia inquiry in fact came after pressure on the government from multiple points – particularly the civil society movement led by Jean Paul Sofia’s mother Isabelle Bonnici.

The PN said that it has contributed fully during every stage of the ongoing revision of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. This, despite the very limited manner in which the review was presented by the Government; rushed, half-baked, and not always placing workers' interests first.

Legal Notice 52 of 2025, the 2025 Regulations on Occupational Health and Safety (Minimum Requirements for Health and Safety at Work on Construction Sites), “includes a number of positive elements aligned with relevant EU Directives,” the PN said.  

“However, it also contains several serious shortcomings that must be addressed before the regulations come into effect. The PN has therefore put forward concrete and constructive amendments to ensure workers are properly protected,” the PN added.

Among the amendments proposed by the Opposition are the introduction of a mandatory Health and Safety Skills Card by 1 January 2027; the early appointment of a safety supervisor to ensure that all risks, including those related to the project once in use, are identified and addressed from the outset; ;egal clarification on definitions and the transition process for ongoing projects; stronger powers and clear guidance for the OHSA to ensure serious and effective enforcement; and specific parameters for client representatives.

“Once again, the Government has missed the opportunity to formally recognise the professions of Health and Safety Practitioners and Project Managers, a recognition the PN will be granting, along with others, as part of a holistic and comprehensive reform of the construction sector and other areas,” the party said.

It said that it has submitted these amendments to ensure the construction industry is regulated with the highest standards of transparency, legal clarity, and effective enforcement, and to prevent further loss of life on construction sites.

The PN said that it remains committed to fostering a strong health and safety culture in the construction sector and beyond, with fair and robust enforcement of laws, regulations, and clear, transparent standards  backed by research, continuous awareness, and training for all those involved, to give peace of mind to everyone.

The statement was signed by PN MP and Shadow Minister for Planning and Lands Stanley Zammit.