Playing with lives - dangerous building and excavation practices

Last week, Prime Minister Robert Abela tabled a report in parliament that took a close look at the construction industry and found what it described as “deep-rooted problems” across the board.

The government had commissioned the report after a house adjacent to a construction site collapsed early last March, causing the death of Miriam Pace.

Abela did not initially intend to publish the report, saying the recommendations were gradually being implemented. But he reversed his decision after the Pace family said they were “baffled and disappointed” that it would not see the light of day.

The report was drawn up by retired judge Lawrence Quintano, geo-technical engineer Adrian Mifsud, architect Mario Cassar and lawyer Mark Simiana.

Where do the dangers lie?

The authors set out to find weaknesses and propose reform of the construction industry to ensure public safety. One of their chief concerns is excavation.

They identify as dangerous the common practice of excavating flush to party walls, exposing the vertical rock face underneath the foundations of existing buildings.

Irrespective of the material beneath, the existing buildings are weakened as the material previously supporting...