ETEK calls for a review of safety measures on Cyprus construction sites after worker dies in Peyia

The Scientific and Technical Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK) has called for an immediate review of occupational safety procedures at construction sites across the country. The call came after a worker died in Peyia, where a concrete pump boom severed two overhead power lines.

The accident occurred on Saturday, 12 September, at around 14:30. A Greek national living in Cyprus had brought concrete to the site, and as the mixture was being poured, the pump boom struck two power lines belonging to the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), carrying 11,000 volts. The man was taken to Paphos Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Police arrested the 53-year-old concrete pump operator and the 46-year-old contractor, who are suspected of causing death by negligence. The investigation is being conducted by the Peyia police station together with the Labour Inspection Department, while EAC representatives also attended the scene.

“No fatal accident is acceptable,” the Chamber said in a statement, referring to the Vision Zero principle of zero fatalities. ETEK stressed that neither project deadlines nor financial considerations can take precedence over worker safety.

According to the Chamber, occupational safety plans must be practical tools for prevention and must be updated whenever conditions change, rather than remain formal documents prepared for inspectors. High-risk work — near power lines, involving concrete pumps and cranes, at height or in confined spaces — requires a separate hazard assessment and an agreed method of work before the work begins.

ETEK describes responsibility for safety on the site as collective: it lies with clients, designers, supervisors, safety coordinators, contractors, subcontractors and the workers themselves.