GEORGE TOWN, March 6 ― Fourteen construction sites in Penang have been closed off due to safety violations in the past two weeks, Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) revealed today.
Penang DOSH director Jaafar Leman said they conducted surprise checks on 29 construction sites in the state since February 24.
“We have sealed the 14 sites with safety violations and they will have to take actions to comply with our safety regulations before we lift the seal,” he said in a press conference after visiting a construction site near to The Light project off the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Highway here.
He said the contractors of the sites must submit proposals on rectification to comply with the safety regulations before they lift the seals.
Jaafar said the closures were only for the portion that did not meet safety regulations, not for the whole project site.
The DOSH launched a “Cegah Runtuh Cegah Jatuh” operation on February 24 and identified 50 construction sites to check.
“We will conduct surprise spot checks at these sites until March 24 and any site found to have safety violations will be issued notices or sealed,” he said.
As at yesterday, he said the DOSH had issued 78 warning notices to work sites with potentials for safety violations and 55 other notices to contractors that had committed safety violations.
He said the department took worksite safety seriously and will conduct regular spot checks on high-risk work sites in the state.
“There are currently 359 high-risk work sites in the state but we only have 10 officers to check on these sites so we will conduct regular checks on each of these sites,” he said.
As for work site accidents, Jaafar said there were four deaths due to work site accidents as at today for 2019.
The four cases were at two different construction sites and involved two Malaysians and two foreign workers.
There were 75 worksite accidents reported this year involving various work sites, not only construction sites.
Last year, a total of 338 worksite accidents and 24 deaths were reported.
He said 43 of the cases were brought to court while a total of 91 compounds were issued totalling RM134,000.
The court cases led to fines amounting to RM332,300 last year.
