Filenews 20 February 2026
The Department of Labour Inspection is planning targeted inspections to prevent accidents from falling from a height, with an emphasis on buildings, as the director of the Department, Aristodimos Oikonomidis, told KYPE. The initiative comes in the wake of recent serious workplace accidents, two of which were fatal and were related to workers falling from a height.
According to data cited, workplace accidents in the construction sector accounted for 18% of the total in 2025, a percentage that ranks the sector among the most dangerous. Representatives of the PEO and SEK trade unions point out that construction is the first sector in fatal accidents at work.
Aristodimos Economides said that the Department carries out about 5,000 inspections annually, of which 3,000 concern the construction sector, out of a total of about 130,000 workplaces and 10,000 construction sites on a nationwide basis. As he noted, the strategy focuses on the most risky activities, as "there cannot be one inspector in every workplace".
Particular emphasis is now placed on fall accidents. "In the coming months we will focus on inspections to prevent accidents from falling from a height, mainly in buildings," he said, underlining that this is one of the most common causes of serious and fatal incidents.
At the same time, the Department implements enlightenment campaigns, promotes the integration of safety and health in education and supports training programs. About 20,000 employees participate each year in relevant HRDA programs. The Safepass programme for the construction sector remains on a voluntary basis, with the possibility of considering its mandatory implementation in the second half of 2026.
In terms of sanctions, 42 cases have been heard in the last three years, with fines totalling €533,200, while 405 out-of-court fines of €567,800 have also been imposed. In addition, the Department issued 1,052 work ban notices in cases of serious violations.
The unions emphasize the need to intensify controls, tighten enforcement of legislation and cultivate a culture of prevention, pointing out that "human life is priceless" and cannot be treated as a statistic.
