Health and Safety at Work Bill passed in Parliament
The Health and Safety at Work Bill has passed unanimously in Parliament on Monday.The PN voted in favour of government's bill, which intends to create a new legal framework to prevent workplace accidents, despite saying that more needs to be done to
The Health and Safety at Work Bill has passed unanimously in Parliament on Monday.
The PN voted in favour of government's bill, which intends to create a new legal framework to prevent workplace accidents, despite saying that more needs to be done to prevent workplace accidents.
The new law will introduce hefty increases to administrative and criminal fines for those who are found in breach of safety regulations on the workplace, with the bill also including an increase to the number of enforcement officials within the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA).
The first offense will carry a minimum fine of €1,500, and a maximum of €50,000. In serious cases, there is also a maximum of two years imprisonment.
If one reoffends a second time, the minimum fine will then increase, and the prison sentence of a maximum of two years will increase to a minimum of one year to a maximum of four years.
Regarding administrative fines, fines increased from being less than €500, to now up to €20,000.
Describing it as "revolutionary," Prime Minister Robert Abela had said that the law is directed at minimising foreseeable risks, regardless of the commercial activity taking place.
The law also stressed on the importance of quality and standards, and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA), will be given more power to maintain the highest standards, and government will also be more than doubling its officials from the current 30, to 70 officials by the end of 2024, reaching 80 by the end of 2025.
The bill introduces a 24/7 helpline, create a Tribunal to ensure a fair and just system, as well as introduces a Health and Safety Responsible Officer (HSRO).
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
