In short: the amendment to Israel's Safety at Work (Construction Work) Regulations, published in Official Gazette 12061 on 16 October 2025, took effect on 16 October 2026, exactly one year later. It places direct duties on the client, adds two roles (safety controller and site manager), sets binding control and reporting timelines, creates a public registry of foremen and moves notices to the labor inspector to online forms.
The amendment to the worker information and training regulations and the new work-at-height training procedure took effect on the same day. All changes are summarized at Construction Safety Regulations 2026.
What Changed at a Glance
| Topic | What the amendment requires | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| Start approval | The contractor may not start without the client's written approval | 2(a)(4), 1A |
| Safety plan | 50+ workers: safety management plan. Up to 49: site safety organization plan under Regulation 166 | 1 (definition), 2(a)(3) |
| Safety controller | Appointed by the client, visits at construction stages and at least every three months, reports within 48 hours | 2A |
| Site manager | Required at sites of 15,000 m2 or more, control at least every 30 days | 2(a)(2), 2B |
| Foreman | Listed in a public registry, registration valid for five years | 2D, 3, 3A |
| Safety officer | Reports hazards to the foreman and site manager within 48 hours | 5A |
| Notices | Start of work, appointments and end of role via online forms | 6A |
The Client: Responsibility Before Work Starts
The client (the property owner, or the permit holder where a building permit is required) may not approve the start of work unless three conditions are met (Regulation 1A): a safety plan was prepared and a copy is kept on site; the contract with the contractor itemizes the resources for implementing the plan by its chapters and risks; and the client appointed a safety controller and passed his details to the contractor.
If the controller stops serving, the client notifies the contractor immediately and carries the controller's duties until a new one is appointed. When the controller reports an unacceptable risk, the client confirms in writing within 48 hours that it was addressed. The regulation does not apply to the work types in Regulation 2(g) or to self-build.
The Contractor: Conditions to Start and Continue
The contractor must appoint a registered foreman, appoint a site manager at sites of 15,000 m2 or more, sign the safety plan and give copies to the controller and site manager, and receive the client's written approval. If the foreman stops serving, work stops until a new one is appointed. Unaddressed risks are handled within a reasonable time according to their level, and unacceptable risks immediately, with the plan updated.
Safety Controller: External Control for the Client
The controller is not solely responsible for site safety. Implementation stays with the contractor and his staff; the controller checks and reports. He must be a registered civil engineer or registered civil practical engineer (handasai), or a certified safety officer who completed construction sector training, and may not be the foreman, site manager or safety officer at the same site.
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Visits at least during excavation, foundations, frame and finishing, and at least every three months.
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Checks plan implementation, protective equipment and training at each visit.
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Reports in writing to the client and contractor within 48 hours of the visit.
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Reports an unacceptable risk immediately in writing to the client, contractor, site manager and foreman.
Site Manager at Sites of 15,000 m2 or More
A registered civil engineer or registered civil practical engineer (handasai) who is not the foreman or controller at the same site (Regulation 2B). He signs off risk responses per construction stage, runs a control at least every 30 days with a report, confirms the required engineering plans exist, checks worker training every 30 days, and stops work when an unacceptable risk lacks resources. At smaller sites, these duties fall on the foreman (Regulation 2(h)).
Foreman Registry
A public registry of foremen (Regulation 2D). Qualification by an approved course, or as a registered engineer, practical engineer or certified technician with at least 12 months of construction experience and a safety exam. Registration is valid for five years and is not renewed if the foreman had no appointment, or less than 90 days cumulatively, unless he attended two refresher courses of at least 8 hours.
Safety Officer: Documented Reporting Within 48 Hours
A safety officer appointed by the contractor also reports hazards and violations to the foreman and site manager within 48 hours, including open hazards from previous reports and the actions he took regarding the safety plan. Stop-work orders issued for one of the reasons in the First Schedule are reported immediately, including to the regional labor inspector via an online form (Regulation 5A).
Online Notices
The contractor notifies the regional labor inspector immediately, via online forms, of the start of work, the appointment and replacement of the controller, foreman or site manager, and the end of work (Regulation 6A). The inspector issues a confirmation that is attached to the general register.
Summary
The reform moves construction site safety from a model in which the contractor and foreman carried most of the responsibility to layered, documented control: a client who approves and funds, an external controller, a site manager who checks every 30 days, and a safety officer who reports within 48 hours. Managing these controls in an organized system, with deadlines, signatures and records, is the practical way to comply.
Based on the text published in Official Gazette 12061. Not legal advice.