Stop merely paying lip service to construction site safety: NIOSH

PETALING JAYA: The number of accidents recently show that the construction industry must stop paying lip service to safety but be fully committed to it.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (pix) said worksite safety is important to avoid accidents and the industry needs to hire people who are professionally qualified and trained to operate heavy machinery.
Lee said some developers may attempt to cut corners and save cost by hiring foreigners who have some working knowledge on how to operate cranes.
He added that with the latest incident that caused the death of a young woman, the construction industry must come together and give their full commitment to safety.
He pointed out that many people have been expressing their fear to his office over the on-going construction in the city.
"One sad thing about the country is the poor maintenance culture, many people do not place a high enough priority on maintenance," the NIOSH chairman said.
He added that "if he was not mistaken", many of the high rise cranes in the country are second hand.
Lee said they are bought after being used extensively in another country and are in need of regular servicing and proper maintenance.

He added that this in itself could pose a risk.

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) earlier said the crane hook, which broke off and fell on the woman's car along Jalan Raja Chulan last Thursday, was operating outside the hoard fencing surrounding the construction site – a clear violation of safety laws.
The driver has been identified as an Indonesian.
DOSH said parties implicated in the incident face a two-year jail sentence, and up to RM250,000 in fines or both under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and the Factories and Machinery Act 1967.
BUCG Sdn Bhd, the contractor for the project, said it, along with the crane equipment owner Yekon Equipment (M) Sdn Bhd and crane operator Sufiyan Enterprise, were cooperating with authorities in the investigation.
Meanwhile, in GEORGE TOWN, a sombre atmosphere filled the air at the Gat Lebuh Nordin flats' funeral parlour yesterday where the final send-off was held for Chin Khoon Sing, the 23-year-old woman who died when the crane hook fell on her car.
Family members, relatives and friends had gathered at the parlour as early as 8am to pay their last respects.
The deceased's parents, Chin Chee Weng and Yeoh Ang Hooi, her brothers Khoon Ying, 26, and Khoon Feng, 11, broke into tears at the service held in accordance with Buddhist rites.
At about 10.30am, the hearse left for the Batu Gantong crematorium where a prayer service was held before the body was cremated.
When met later, a distraught Khoon Ying said the family will discuss whether to pursue legal action for negligence over the death of his sister.
"We will come to a collective decision soon," he said before leaving.
Khoon Sing was on her way to visit her family in Klang after work when the incident happened at 7.15pm.