Developers, designers will face lawsuits for construction site accidents: DOSH

KUALA LUMPUR: Building developers and designers will face lawsuits in the event of an accident at the construction site, said Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director-general Omar Mat Piah.
He said this following the DOSH's move to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 to include developers and designers to shoulder the responsibility in the event of something risky occurring at construction areas.
"The provisions of the existing laws clearly state that the employer or main contractor will be responsible but now we will include the developer and the designer to shoulder the responsibility as well.
"It will be mandatory for developers and designers to be equally responsible. Currently the amendments are being finalised and it will then be tabled in Parliament," he told reporters after observing how the "Cegah Jatuh" special operation was being carried out in Ampang, here today.
Omar said 'Cegah Jatuh' operations were also being carried out nationwide by focusing on work at high rise buildings as well as activities that involve lifting at construction areas.
He said, in 2017, a total of 4,266 accidents and 183 fatalities were recorded at construction sites, three times higher than those recorded at other workplace. — Bernama