The background to the change in regulations
Mar 27, 2026
Background: The 2026 Safety Regulations and What Lies Behind Them
By: Itzik Simon
To understand the depth of the change and its implications, it is first necessary to examine the regulatory background and the gap between requirements and their actual implementation.
The Safety at Work (Construction Work) Regulations (Amendment), 2025 were published on October 16, 2025, with their entry into force set for 12 months from the date of publication. In practical terms, this means they will come into effect on October 16, 2026. The transition period was not intended as a leniency, but rather to allow for preparation for a fundamental change in how construction projects are managed in Israel.
The Gap Between Safety Requirements and Their Implementation in Practice
At first glance, this may appear to be just another regulatory amendment. In reality, however, it constitutes a substantial intervention by the regulator in the structure of responsibility within the construction sector. For years, the industry has operated under a relatively clear framework of rules, including regulations, procedures, and obligations regarding appointments and supervision.
In practice, however, a persistent gap has developed between the existence of these requirements and their implementation on the ground. This gap did not stem from a lack of regulation, but rather from a structure in which responsibility for safety does not always lie with the party making the actual decisions, and from operational conduct in which time pressures, costs, and coordination challenges have often outweighed safety considerations.
The result has been a situation in which responsibility for safety exists at a formal level, but is not always translated into effective risk management on site.
The state of work accidents in the construction industry in Israel
The gap between regulations and actual implementation is clearly reflected in workplace accidents in the industry.
The construction sector in Israel has long been characterized by a high rate of workplace accidents, particularly severe and fatal incidents. The sector’s share of serious accidents across the economy is disproportionately high, and the data indicate an ongoing difficulty in reducing the phenomenon, despite regulatory activity and enforcement efforts.
From an international perspective, Israel is not among the leading countries in construction safety, and in some years has even lagged behind countries where more advanced risk management mechanisms have been implemented.
The implication is that the problem lies not in the absence of regulations, but in how they are implemented in practice.
Against this background, the new regulations reflect a change in the regulator's approach.
Instead of relying on enforcement after an event, the emphasis shifts to structured risk management in advance. The regulator is no longer satisfied with asking what happened, but rather examines how the project was managed:
Has an appropriate safety plan been defined, have the necessary resources been allocated for its implementation, is there ongoing monitoring, and can actual management and not just intention be demonstrated?
This means that the conduct itself becomes the subject of scrutiny, not just the result.
Change in the regulator's approach: from retrospective management to ex ante management
One of the key changes is the change in the responsibility structure.
For years, practical responsibility for safety on the site was concentrated mainly with the construction operator and the construction manager, while the client, who is in most cases the developer, remained largely outside the direct operational circle.
The new regulations change this situation and place the work orderer at the center of the control mechanism. For the first time, it was determined that work cannot begin without meeting prerequisites that include a safety plan, allocating resources for its implementation, and appointing officials, with some of the duties being explicitly imposed on the work orderer as a condition for opening the site.
This is not just a formal expansion, but a change in perception, according to which the factor driving the project is also required to take an active part in responsibility for its safety.
Threshold conditions instead of completion while working
Another change is the shift from a perception of completion while moving to a perception of threshold conditions.
It is no longer possible to start work and then complete the required documents, appointments, or documentation. All of these become prerequisites for the site to operate.
This means that the project is examined at the opening stage, and not just after an event.
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The change is not limited to the field of safety alone.
The new liability structure and the method of risk management have implications for the way agreements are drafted, the division of responsibility between the parties, the conduct with regulators, and in many cases also the insurance structure and scope of exposure.
In this sense, it is a systemic change that affects all components of project management.
The practical significance for entrepreneurs, contractors and public bodies
For entrepreneurs, contractors, and public entities, this is a profound change in the way project management is done.
The regulations require a shift from management based on experience and reaction to management based on planning, control, and documentation. A project that is not adapted to the new structure is likely to encounter difficulties already in the opening stages, and not just in the event of an incident.
Broad implications beyond safety
Purpose of the Knowledge Center
This knowledge center is intended to translate the regulatory requirements into practical conduct in construction projects, and to provide a clear framework for understanding and implementing them on site.
It is not designed as a regulatory overview, but as a working tool that clarifies what is required in practice, where the points of failure lie, and how to prepare in advance—both at the project level and at the organizational level.
The center focuses on the connection between legal requirements and the actual management of the project, including the structure of responsibility, allocation of resources, control and documentation mechanisms, and their operational, contractual, and insurance implications.
Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive perspective and a structured framework of thinking that will assist the parties involved in a project in understanding the key implications of the regulations and how to implement them, without replacing professional advice tailored to the specific circumstances of each project.
The information presented in this document is general in nature and does not constitute legal, engineering, or insurance advice, nor does it replace a case-specific examination of the circumstances of each project. Responsibility for implementing the requirements in practice and assessing their suitability rests with the relevant parties involved in the project.
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