In recent days, I have been closely examining the responsibilities of various stakeholders who are recognized by law and carry essential obligations on construction sites. In my previous blog posts, I have already discussed the crucial role of masons in construction. Today, I am writing an opinion piece for the Times of Malta, where my focus is, again, on licensed masons.
Since I graduated over 25 years ago, I have consistently felt that it is not appropriate for licensed masons to simply lend their signature to construction projects after obtaining a planning permit, and then allow someone else to take over the actual site operations.
This practice is fundamentally flawed, and I strongly disapprove of it. In this critical time, I want to stress the importance of having the mason, who lends their signature, be physically present on-site at all times. It is essential that the perit hands over the structural drawings directly to the mason and no one else present on-site, or even someone external to the project. It should be the mason who thoroughly reviews and comprehends the structural drawings from the permit and ensures that every detail is understood. They must communicate these instructions clearly to their coworkers on-site and oversee the proper implementation of these instructions.
I believe that this hands-on approach is necessary to uphold the highest standards of construction safety and quality. My article discussing this matter can be found here.
