High-profile case9/23/2026

High Court of Justice Examined the Duty to Report Hazards at Construction Sites

The Chamber of Occupational Safety Officers petitioned against new rules requiring reports to the Ministry of Labor when construction work is halted due to dangerous violations. The justices recommended withdrawing the petition, but the petitioners requested a judgment; the final outcome of the proceeding is not stated in the source.

Key facts

•Court: High Court of Justice, Supreme Court of Israel
•Publication date: September 23, 2026
•The proceeding number is not stated in the source
•Legal basis: Section 173A of the Work Safety Ordinance
•The reform was approved in September 2025

What the Experts Are Challenging

The new provision is part of a broad occupational safety reform that was approved in September 2025 and was due to take effect in the coming weeks. The safety officer must notify an inspector from the Ministry of Labor directly if work has been halted due, among other things, to dangerous proximity to power lines, the absence of an engineering plan or a site manager, the violation of an order, or another danger to life. Failure to report entails civil and criminal liability.

The Petitioners’ Arguments

The Chamber argues that the rule creates a conflict of interest: the safety officers are employed by construction companies, but in practice are required to supervise their employer on behalf of the state. Its counsel, attorney Ido Blum, noted that there is no special protection against dismissal or deterioration in employment conditions following a report. The Chamber also argued that the new obligations should have been imposed under the Labor Inspection Organization Law, which regulates the activities of these safety officers, rather than through secondary legislation under the Work Safety Ordinance.

The Position of the Court and the State

Justice Alex Stein said that the provision appears reasonable, was adopted within the scope of the authority, and does not contradict any legal provision. He referred to Section 173A of the Work Safety Ordinance, which allows the Minister of Labor, with the approval of a Knesset committee, to establish rules concerning safety, health, and hygiene in workplaces. The state’s representative, attorney Guy Vardi, added that safety officers already report to regional inspectors at their request, whereas the amendment requires proactive reporting without a prior request.

The Decision Has Not Yet Been Published

The justices recommended that the Chamber withdraw the petition, but it refused and asked the High Court of Justice to issue a judgment. Stein warned that if the proceeding is heard, the Court is expected to rule against the petitioners and may order them to pay legal costs. However, the publication does not include a final judgment or the proceeding number.

What this means for you

If the provision remains in force, the halting of dangerous construction work for the specified reasons will require a direct report to the Ministry of Labor. For workers and people near construction sites, this means additional government oversight; for occupational safety officers, it means personal exposure to civil and criminal liability for failure to report. The petition’s final legal outcome is not known from the source.

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