Call to probe all construction sites after 3 killed in another incident
Senior works minister issues immediate stop-work order on SUKE construction
THREE foreign construction workers were killed on the spot when a gantry crane component collapsed at the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) near Puncak Banyan, Persiaran Alam Damai yesterday morning.
The incident, which saw two other foreign workers safe but injured a car driver, occurred while maintenance works were being conducted, said Projek Lintasan Sun- gai Besi-Ulu Klang Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) in a statement.
Prolintas said the SUKE Emergency Response Team was immediately dispatched to the scene with the Fire and Rescue Department to close roads from both directions to make way for search and rescue.
At press time, efforts to remove the bodies were still in progress.
The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department operations centre received a call via MERS999 at 8.45am and a team of 25 personnel led by operations commander Mohd Khairul Azmi Jaafar, two fire rescue trucks as well as a emergency medical rescue services van were deployed to the scene.
Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof issued an immediate stop-work order to SUKE’s construction and maintenance works to enable investigations to be conducted where the crane had tipped over and crushed the car.
Bernama reported Fadillah as saying that the site had been sealed off until investigations were completed.
He also issued a directive that only rescue efforts be conducted.
Fadillah also said the project contractor had been repeatedly warned to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) after several accidents occurred at SUKE.
He urged the Malaysian Highway Authority and the Construction Industry Development Board to investigate the incident and the contractor, if found to have violated the SOP, could be blacklisted and not given any project for two years.
Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Awang Hashim said a team of investigating officers from Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Department of Occupational Safety and Health would conduct a comprehensive probe.
The team, he said, would also determine if there were violations of legal requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994.
“The act stipulates that it is the responsibility of each employer to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees during work, as well as that of the public at the workplace under its jurisdiction.”