Tighter workplace safety rules that are supposed to hold more people responsible for on the job violations are being delayed, provincial officials say.

The new safety regulations were supposed to be imposed next month.

Earlier this year, the province said it would crack down on unsafe work sites by hiring more inspectors and doubling penalties.

Occupational Health and Safety officials have already been holding information sessions on the new rules, with people from a variety of industries attending.

Some of the people going to the sessions said they are worried about how tickets would be issued and about the higher penalties.

"The government has heard a number of concerns from a variety of stakeholders," said Glennis Bihun with Labour Relations and Workplace Safety. "And so [it] has made a commitment to do some additional consultations with stakeholders to address the concerns."

There's no word on exactly when the new rules will be implemented.

How safe are construction sites?

According to the Saskatoon and Region Home Builders Association, more than 1,100 new single-detached houses were under construction as of May 2012, in Regina and Saskatoon.

But after visiting some of these construction sites, CBC News has discovered not a lot of the workers are abiding by the safety rules.

Paul Pascoe, who holds seminars on occupational health and safety for Pozniak Safety Associates, reviewed some CBC News footage taken in the Stonebridge and Evergreen neighbourhoods in Saskatoon.

He said no workers on the tape used fall harnesses or tethers and most skipped hard hats, gloves and eye protection.

Pascoe said after reviewing the tape he saw some obvious breaches.

"The ladder's not secure at the top," he said about one construction site. "It's not secure at the base. There's nobody holding the ladder. What would stop this ladder slipping and falling? Nothing."

Workers told CBC News they know the rules, but they don't have time to follow all of them.

The province said it has ramped up inspections and is getting fewer injury reports.

But Pascoe said even though there's a rush to get homes built quickly, working fast should not mean risking injuries or even death.