Workplace health and safety in T&H

Malta's primary health and safety legislation is the Occupational Health and Safety Authority Act (OHSA Act) and associated regulations, which implement EU framework directives into Maltese law. The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) is the national regulatory body that enforces H&S standards in the workplace.

Under Maltese H&S law, employers have a duty to provide a safe working environment, conduct risk assessments, provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), train employees on H&S matters, and maintain an accident record. Employees have a corresponding duty to follow H&S instructions, use PPE correctly, and report hazards.

The key point for the Skills Pass assessment: both employers AND employees have legal H&S duties. As a worker, you are not a passive recipient of safety — you are an active participant.

A risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying hazards in a workplace, evaluating the risk each hazard presents (likelihood × severity), and deciding on control measures to reduce that risk. All employers in Malta are legally required to conduct risk assessments.

The five steps of a risk assessment: (1) Identify hazards; (2) Decide who might be harmed and how; (3) Evaluate the risks and decide on control measures; (4) Record findings and implement controls; (5) Review and update regularly.

In a T&H environment, risk assessments cover the full range of hazard types: physical (slips, trips, heavy lifting), chemical (cleaning products), biological (food pathogens), ergonomic (repetitive strain, awkward postures), and fire. As a worker, you may not lead the risk assessment process, but you must understand it well enough to contribute to it and follow its outputs.

Slips, trips, and falls are the most common cause of workplace injury in hospitality. Wet floors (from spills, mopping, or rain), uneven surfaces, poor lighting, and obstructions in walkways are all common causes. The control measures: non-slip footwear, prompt cleaning of spills, wet floor signs placed immediately, and clear walkways.

Manual handling injuries (back strain, muscle injuries) are common in housekeeping, food delivery, and kitchen environments. The correct manual handling technique: assess the load before lifting, keep your back straight and bend your knees, keep the load close to your body, turn with your feet rather than twisting your back, and ask for help with heavy or awkward loads.

Burns and scalds are a significant kitchen hazard. Always use oven gloves when handling hot equipment, ensure pot handles face inward on hobs, communicate clearly when carrying hot items ('hot behind'), and treat burns immediately with cool running water for 10–20 minutes.

All accidents in the workplace must be reported and recorded. Your employer maintains an accident report book (or equivalent record). If you are involved in or witness an accident, you must report it to your supervisor immediately, regardless of how minor it seems. Under-reporting accidents creates false safety data and prevents improvement.

Major incidents (serious injuries, dangerous occurrences) must be reported to OHSA. As an employee, your role is to report to your supervisor — the legal reporting obligations to the authority are the employer's responsibility.

Fire safety in T&H premises: know the location of the nearest fire exit, fire assembly point, and fire extinguishers. Know the basic fire extinguisher colour codes: red (water — for paper/wood/textiles), cream (foam — for liquids), black (CO2 — for electrical fires), yellow (dry powder — multi-use). Never use water on electrical or liquid fires.