Israeli Contractors Threaten Legal Action Over New Safety Regulations

The Israeli construction and infrastructure sector is on the verge of paralysis as new safety regulations are set to take effect, with the Contractors and Builders Association threatening to petition the High Court of Justice. In a sharp letter to Hazi Schwartzman, the Director of the Safety Administration, the association warned that if the enforcement of the new regulations is not immediately postponed, they will seek interim court orders. The contractors argue that the Ministry of Labor is unprepared to implement the reforms it enacted, despite the association's commitment to worker safety. They contend that essential infrastructure and guidance for compliance are missing, leaving contractors unable to meet the new requirements.

Specifically, the association points to new real-time online reporting regulations for work commencement, changes in site managers, and safety supervisors. They claim the Ministry of Labor failed to provide the necessary online forms, with links missing from official guidance documents released just days before the regulations' implementation. This comes as the Ministry announced an nationwide enforcement operation starting Sunday, threatening to close sites lacking a safety supervisor or site manager. Contractors are protesting the risk of closure without the means to legally report required appointments.

Further complicating matters are legal ambiguities regarding responsibility on various sites, unclear application to infrastructure and pipeline work, and a severe shortage of qualified personnel like safety supervisors and instructors for foreign workers. The association is already involved in a separate High Court petition regarding a shortage of safety officers. Given these systemic failures, the Contractors Association demands an immediate postponement of the regulations' effective date or a complete freeze on enforcement, coupled with a transition period.

Roni Brik, President of the association, stated that while they have worked for years to improve worker safety, resulting in a significant decrease in fatalities per square meter of construction, the Ministry is ignoring the practical realities. He criticized the Ministry's actions as irresponsible, especially during a period of high construction demand, and urged Schwartzman to act responsibly to protect the industry, its workers, and the public awaiting essential housing and infrastructure.