Call for thorough review of safety of road maintenance works

KUALA LUMPUR: There should be a thorough review of all road safety measures in respect of road construction and maintenance works to prevent the loss of innocent lives due to accidents.

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said local authorities should also set up safety audit units to check on works being carried out by contractors and subcontractors tasked with the construction or maintenance of roads.

“Looking at the present state of affairs with regard to our road upgrading or construction works, I can safely conclude that we have good road infrastructure but a third-class mentality when it comes to maintenance and the practice of safety and health at the worksites concerned,” he said in a statement yesterday. Balakong assemblyman Ng Tien Chee, 40, died Friday after the vehicle he was driving crashed into the back of a lorry at Km 11.7 of the Grand Saga Highway in Cheras.

It was reported that the lorry was carrying out road cleaning works on the right lane when Ng’s vehicle collided into it in the 12.40 am accident.

Lee noted that inadequate or poor warning signs and lighting, especially at night, made it very hazardous or risky for road users and could lead to accidents.

When contacted by Bernama, Lee said contractors tendered for the road maintenance work should provide a complete safety plan to avoid accidents.

He said it was important to ensure that the parties concerned pay serious attention to the safety aspect during the maintenance work.