DOSH confirms crane’s safety switch tampered, led to accident

KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has confirmed that one of the safety switches of the crane involved in a freak accident in August had been tampered with.
"Our investigation has confirmed that the safety switch was tampered with. One of our officers went to the scene, and he confirmed it," DOSH director-general Datuk Mohtar Musri (pix) told a press conference, here, today.
When asked if the tampering of the switch had led to the accident, which killed a woman driver, Chim Khoon Sing, when the crane's 300kg hoist block gave way and crushed her car at Jalan Raja Chulan, he merely nodded.
Mohtar had, on Sept 8, said it was likely that the safety limit switch, which limits the movement of crane booms within the stipulated hoarding, had been tampered with, or it would have been stopped from operating outside the compound.
He, however, said it could not be established as of yet if there was any foul play involved.
Mohtar said the department is also in the midst of identifying who was responsible for the tampering, so action can be taken (against the individual).
He added that while an investigation paper has been submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers for legal action, DOSH was still running tests on the crane's equipment and parts that have been seized.
"These tests will take a bit of time. We need to do tensile test, bending test, and others. We will use all of these for the prosecution process," he said, adding that it is expected to be completed in a month's time.
Meanwhile, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department chief Datuk Seri Michael Chong called on the government to implement a specific ruling to regulate the operation of all construction machinery, especially tower cranes.
In making the call, Chong said lawyers from his department had informed him that there is no specific provision or ruling in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 on the required safety perimeter for construction lifting machinery.
"Such a ruling is necessary to avoid fatalities due to construction mishaps," Chong told reporters during a press conference at his office today.