Improvement in work safety

NST: The number of accidents at construction sites is declining.
Department of Occupational Health and Safety director- general Abu Bakar Che Man said today: "The number of construction accidents and fatalities has actually been falling since 2003. This shows developers and contractors are becoming more responsible."
Statistics made available to the New Straits Times by the Social Security Organisation for its 2005 annual report show there were 3,150 construction accidents last year, compared with 4,445 in 2004 and 4,654 in 2003.
"The improving figures are consistent with the Government’s efforts to increase occupational safety and health awareness," Abu Bakar said.
The death of management consultant Dr Liew Boon Horng in December led to measures which many Malaysians felt were overdue.
One of them is the ruling that developers who receive three consecutive stop-work orders will be prosecuted.
Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) chief executive officer Datuk Hamzah Hassan agreed with Abu Bakar: "Developers are improving their occupational safety and health measures.
"However, since accidents continue to happen, CIDB will go on with the plan to make our safety induction course mandatory from July.
"Apart from learning basic safety by completing the course, workers will also be insured against accidents."
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said accidents would continue unless developers had their own safety measures.
"Developers must choose competent and safety-conscious contractors.
"Few developers check on the safety record of their contractors."
He said contractors bidding for contracts should provide a safety-policy statement, a hazard-identification and risk-control plan, and information on safety training given to employees.
"Safety cannot be taken for granted.
"If you let this happen, you’re creating the right condition for accidents to occur."
Unfortunately, he said, Malaysians lacked a safety culture. "Workers don’t see the value of using a proper helmet. Some of them are content with a cap or straw hat.
"And how many developers employ a safety supervisor to brief workers daily and remind them to use safety equipment?
"We cannot rely on the Government to make everything mandatory.
"Developers, contractors and workers should realise that self-regulation will benefit them," Lee said.
"The more stop-work orders they’re subject to, the longer they’ll take to complete the job and they may not meet the deadline for completion."