Hatta (centre) looks through the ‘Manual on Occupational Safety and Health for the Construction Industry’. He is flanked by Tee (left) and MBAM deputy president Foo Chek Lee. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: Six fatal cases were recorded at construction sites in the state from January to September this year.
During the same period, there was one permanent disability case and 19 non-permanent disability cases in the construction industry.
State Occupational Safety and Health Department (OSHD) director Mohd Hatta Zakaria said most of the cases involved falling from high places or being injured by falling objects.
He said the department had instructed construction companies to raise awareness among workers of the risks of working at height to reduce the number of accidents.
“OSHD Sarawak, through its Construction Work Section, has conducted checks on 229 construction sites up to September this year. Of the 229 construction sites, 36 per cent of them were rated C followed by 25 per cent of Grade B, 15 per cent Grade D, 13 per cent Grade A and 11 per cent Grade E,” he said when opening the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Safety and Health Assessment System in Construction organised by the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) yesterday.
“Those rated C, D and E will be checked on a regular basis by OSHD officers to make sure that they show improvement in complying with the regulations. Failing so, punitive actions will be taken against them.”
During a press conference, Hatta explained that construction companies rated C and below had failed to meet, among others, the basic housekeeping and safety requirements of working at height.
He said those with an E would be inspected once every three months, D (once every four to six months) and C (once every six to nine months) until they showed improvement in terms of safety requirements.
When the construction companies proved that they had managed to comply with the safety regulations, he said their grades would be reviewed accordingly.
“Directives and notices will be issued upon inspections. If they still fail to comply, compounds between RM500 and RM50,000 are to be issued depending on the offences,” he said.
Hatta pointed out that compounds were not meant to penalise construction companies in terms of monetary punishments, but to have an impact on their method of operations.
Meanwhile, MBAM president Matthew Tee said if construction companies continued to fail to improve after the compound is issued, they might be ordered to stop all work.
He added that they would have to be answerable to their clients once they are unable to deliver the project on time.