From Liability to Landslides: Governments Revise Building Safety Across Continents

A case before Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court could significantly sharpen legal accountability for construction supervisors. The dispute stems from an accident in Tuggen in January 2020, where a roofer suffered severe injuries. At issue is whether violations of recognised construction rules can be classified as eventualvorsätzlich—a legal concept meaning conditional intent—which would toughen the liability framework for everyone responsible for building sites. The ruling is being watched closely by insurers and contractors across the country.

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Meanwhile, halfway around the world, Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction has issued sweeping safety directives for work sites during the rainy season. The order takes effect on 16 July 2026 and covers 15 provinces and cities, including Hanoi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh. Forecasts predict rainfall of up to 150 mm in northern Vietnam, with localised totals exceeding 300 mm. Authorities have instructed the road administration, railway agency, maritime and civil aviation bodies to take proactive steps against flash floods, landslides and hail. Construction firms must now maintain 24-hour shift monitoring. In Son La province, specific inspections began in mid-July combining storm emergency plans with heat protection for outdoor labourers. Similar preventive structures have been activated in Argentina’s Misiones province, where officials are preparing schools as evacuation centres and reinforcing logistics for drinking water and aid supplies as the El Niño phenomenon intensifies.

Germany is also racing to upgrade its defences. The city of Hilden will start building a rainwater treatment and retention facility near Brucherhof in mid-August 2026. Covering a 17-hectare catchment area, the project is expected to be completed by November 2027. Its aim: slow down runoff and improve the water quality of the Hoxbach stream. In Mannheim, the state water authority has presented plans for a comprehensive dyke reinforcement along the Rhine. A 3.6-kilometre static self-supporting steel sheet pile wall is proposed, with the planning approval procedure scheduled for 2027. The urgency of such investments was underlined by a heavy rain event in Bad Kissingen that flooded eleven basements and triggered debris flows, requiring hours of emergency response from fire crews and municipal staff.

Back in Hanoi, digital monitoring has been rolled out at 36 large LED screens at key intersections, providing real-time information on traffic jams and flooding since mid-July. The construction department has defined precise criteria for a crisis: a water level rise of at least 30 centimetres persisting for more than 30 minutes officially constitutes a flood. However, the capital’s sewage system currently meets only about 20 per cent of required capacity. Long-term investments worth billions of dollars in retention basins and new drainage channels are in the pipeline.

On the regulatory front, policymakers are pushing administrative simplification to support these infrastructure efforts. A draft law proposes deleting 38 procedures and lowering 40 business conditions across ten laws in the agriculture and environment sectors. Authorities expect significantly reduced processing times and lower administrative costs—moves that could accelerate the implementation of urgent building and flood-protection projects.

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