Many not committed to safety

Star: PETALING JAYA: At least 30% of construction sites have safety ratings of unsatisfactory or lower.
Department of Occupational Health and Safety (DOSH) director-general Abu Bakar Che Man said in monitoring operations conducted at construction sites, the department gave ratings that ranged from A to E based on certain criteria.
The grades – A (excellent), B (good), C (satisfactory), D (unsatisfactory) and E (poor) – represent how well the contractor or developer has adhered to the department's safety regulations.
“From what I can recall, between 30% and 40% of the sites are rated unsatisfactory or below,” he said when contacted yesterday, adding that he could not provide exact figures as he was not in his office.
The developers or contractors responsible, he added, would have been issued one or more stop-work orders or notices instructing them to make the needed improvements.
Abu Bakar said the number of sites with unsatisfactory or poor rating was worrying.
“If it were up to me, every site should have an A rating. However, there will always be developers who are not committed to safety, or they are too small to afford the resources needed to have a safe workplace,” he said.
Asked if the department would consider penalising developers who consistently get low ratings, Abu Bakar said a re-look at the penalising system might be needed.
“However, there is already the option of hauling the CEO (chief executive officer) or the person in charge of the company to court for committing a serious offence or for non-compliance,” he said.
He added that the project site where corporate figure Dr Liew Boon-Horng was killed on Friday had a D rating for the last two site inspections.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the tragic incident showed that the construction industry only paid lip service to safety.
“The incident is extremely serious and Dr Liew's death was a needless one,” he said when contacted.
Lee said a safety culture was lacking in the industry though its players were aware of the laws and regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.