Man dies after fall at a construction site in Gozo

Updated at 15:45 with Heritage Malta's condolences and OHSA statement

A 29-year-old construction worker, Luca Curmi, lost his life after a four-storey fall at a construction site in Muxar, Gozo.

Police said that on Wednesday at around 11:30am, the man from Munxar fell from a height at Damasku street.

Members of the Civil Protection Department and a medical team were called for assistance but the victim was certified dead on the spot.

Duty Magistrate Brigitte Sultana is leading an inquiry and police investigations are ongoing.

This is the second construction site fatality this week after a 57-year-old man died in a five-storey fall in Birkirkara.

Curmi was employed at Heritage Malta as a technician within the Manufacturing and Upkeep Section. Heritage Malta offered its condolences to Curmi's loved ones on social media.

"Luca, seen here at work at the Gran Castello Historic House in his native Gozo, will be remembered as a hard-working and outgoing employee, always ready to assist and give a helping hand to his colleagues," Heritage Malta said.

GWU calls for better health and safety protocols at the workplace

On Tuesday the General Workers’ Union called for the enforcement of health and safety protocols by the authorities at the place of work.

“Every worker deserves to go out to make a living and return home with his family safe and sound,” GWU said.

It said that despite the regulations and campaigns for the protection of health and safety and enforcement at the workplace, nine fatalities at the workplace had already been registered this year.

Figures released by the National Statistics Office show that accidents have increased by 2.9% as of June of this year, with 1,164 people injured at the workplace, said the union.

The figures show that the majority of these accidents occurred in the manufacturing sector with 16.3%, followed by the transport and storage sector with 14.1% and the construction sector with 13%.

“The General Workers' Union stresses on the importance of the observation of health and safety regulations at the workplace by the workers, as well as by the employers, and the enforcement by the relevant authorities,” GWU said.

OHSA investigating the case

In a statement, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority said it immediately initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident in terms of section 9 of the OHS Authority Act.

"As the investigation is still ongoing, OHSA is not in a position to make other comments at this time," OHSA said