A newly set-up dedicated helpline by the occupational watchdog has been hailed as a “significant advancement” in the wake of a significant increase in the number of interactions with the public.

Launched on 13th August 2024, the 138 Helpline was a key recommendation arising from the inquiry into the tragic death of Jean Paul Sofia – the 20-year-old who died when a building under construction collapsed in Kordin in December 2022. As a matter of fact, the helpline number was specifically chosen as it matches Sofia’s date of birth.

It transpires that from its launch till the end of last year 3,163 calls were received, whereas prior to the setup of the helpline, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority received just 272 calls through its reception desk, 261 emails and 18 messages through its social media platforms. These figures were divulged in the 2024 annual report which was recently tabled in parliament.

During the year under review the authority underwent major changes both at management level as well in its operational structure, partly due to the enactment of a new law regulating occupational health and safety.

During its first 21 weeks of operations, the 138 helpline received 3,163 calls, of which 33% were directly related to matters within the remit of the OHSA. Within this category, 384 calls were requests for information which were addressed directly, while there were 680 cases which required further action. Most of these cases required generic information (304), followed by technical complaints (201) and personalised communication (120).  There were a further 40 cases that required accident reporting, while the remaining 15 queries were deemed to be related to issues beyond the authority’s jurisdiction.

The remaining 2,099 calls received on the helpline (66%) were immediately deemed as being outside the remit of the OHSA an hence were referred accordingly to the Building Construction Agency and other entities.

In its report the OHSA noted that complaints from the public had more than trebled, thus implying a greater awareness on occupational health and safety. This trend was corroborated by the fact that in 2024 technical cases reached 1,231 from 374 in the previous year.

In view of this, the watchdog said it would be recruiting a dedicated customer care manager in 2025 to enhance the operations of this helpline.