The Department of Labour Inspection has warned of ongoing risks in the workplace, with the construction sector accounting for 18% of all recorded occupational accidents in 2025.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, department director Aristodemos Oikonomides said that in the coming months inspections will focus on preventing accidents caused by falls from height, particularly on construction sites.
The warning follows three serious workplace incidents in the past week, two of them fatal. Two involved workers falling from height at construction sites and are under investigation by the department. A third case concerned a worker struck while on duty on a motorway. Although classified as a workplace accident, its circumstances are being examined by the police.
Construction sector leads in fatal cases
According to official data, approximately 5,000 workplace inspections are carried out annually in Cyprus. Of these, around 3,000 concern the construction sector. Cyprus has an estimated 130,000 workplaces, including roughly 10,000 construction sites.
In 2025, construction accounted for 18% of total occupational accidents, followed by manufacturing at 17.7%, hotels and restaurants at 17.5%, trade at 14%, and transport and storage at 8.7%. The remaining 24.1% involved other economic activities.
Oikonomides noted that inspection programmes are designed based on sectors with the highest accident rates. He added that the overall accident rate decreased by 6.9% in 2025 compared to 2024, with 281.35 accidents recorded per 100,000 employees. Since 2005, when 859.56 accidents per 100,000 employees were recorded, the rate has fallen by 67.3%, and by 32% since 2020.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that additional resources would assist the department’s work, stressing that under the law primary responsibility for workplace safety rests with employers.
Safepass training and enforcement
The department is currently implementing awareness campaigns and promoting the integration of health and safety issues into the education system. Around 20,000 workers participate annually in training programmes organised by the Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus.
The Safepass programme, which provides basic safety training for construction workers, remains voluntary. It aims to train 15,000 workers and is implemented with HRDA support. Oikonomides said the possibility of making Safepass mandatory will be examined with social partners in the second half of 2026.
Over the past three years, 42 cases have been tried before District Courts, resulting in total fines of €533,200 and, in some instances, suspended or unsuspended prison sentences. In addition, 405 out-of-court fines amounting to €567,800 were imposed, bringing the total penalties to €1.101 million. The department also issued 1,052 prohibition notices in the same period, halting work until compliance was achieved.
Trade unions demand tougher action
Trade union representatives from PEO and SEK called for intensified inspections and stricter enforcement.
PEO representative Nikos Andreou said inspection levels remain insufficient given the number of workplaces and frontline inspectors. He described the construction sector as leading in fatal accidents, noting that falls from height are the primary cause.
Andreou argued that Safepass training should become mandatory, with a certification card required for employment in construction. He also criticised court-imposed penalties as inadequate and not sufficiently deterrent.
SEK representative Vangelis Evangelou expressed deep sorrow over the recent fatalities, stressing that “workers are not statistics but people who went to work and did not return”. He emphasised the importance of proper risk assessment before work begins, particularly written risk evaluations to identify and prioritise hazards.
Evangelou added that although legislation provides for high penalties, including fines of up to €80,000 or four years’ imprisonment, enforcement in practice often falls short. He called for a stronger culture of safety and health with the ultimate goal of zero workplace fatalities.
Source: CNA
