An innovative, app-based system being rolled out today is expected to revolutionise health and safety practices on construction sites and help rebuild the industry’s reputation through increased accountability.

HSEQutive is the brainchild of Patrick Parnis, who after years of working in the industry, developed a cloud-based solution to facilitate the health and safety inspection process, eliminate time spent writing reports after the inspection, and ensure robust monitoring and measuring mechanisms are in place to evaluate a construction site’s overall safety performance.

Mr Parnis, Parnis & Associates founder, said: “Although the industry has come a long way in accepting, implementing and enforcing health and safety regulations on construction sites, we’re still facing common and repetitive shortcomings, which if left undetected can lead to serious injuries, and even fatalities.”

Speaking during the launch at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Enterprise, Mr Parnis hoped that HSEQutive could be the driving force to change this situation and win back public confidence.

Chamber president David Xuereb, who addressed the press conference, said the construction industry in Malta was in need of a serious dose of regulation and uplift in reputation.  

“It’s refreshing and encouraging to see that industry leaders, such as Parnis & Associates, are bringing in years of experience, knowledge, intelligence and technology to Malta in an effort to efficiently and reliably assist serious developers, contractors and professionals improve their actions and decision-making on a construction site.  

“Professional undertaking and digitalisation of this industry is set to benefit all related and affected third parties in a safe and considerate manner,” Mr Xuereb said.

This paperless safety management system focuses on two modules. The first covers the inspection aspect, which introduces a standard, easy-to-use method to conduct health and safety compliance inspections, issue reports, and corrective action requests. 

All this can be done from the construction site itself through a laptop, tablet or a smartphone, creating an interactive system that requests the developer and contractor to reply and provide feedback on actions taken.

The second module presents the ‘dashboard’ of data collection and graphical statistics where key performance indicators are set, including compliance levels on site, the number and severity of corrective action requests, the relative response time, and the top five areas of concern. It records what incidents have taken place, and the time lost because of these incidents.

The app will provide stakeholders with a real-time picture of their contractors’ health and safety performance on their construction sites. It will also provide developers with a robust, transparent mechanism with accurate data to evaluate contractors’ performance throughout the project and in determining who to engage for future projects. 

These mechanisms provide a fair and transparent track record that can also be favourably used in court, ensuring more accountability.

Mr Parnis said: “From a national perspective, I believe this cloud-based platform is a desperately needed and long overdue site safety performance monitoring mechanism and contractor evaluation system.”