JKR told to stringently enforce HSE rules
KUCHING: The Public Works Department (JKR) has been told to stringently enforce Health, Safety and Environment ( HSE) rules and regulations in view of the many large construction projects currently in progress as part of the state’s rapid development.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing said HSE elements should be included in initial project planning and design, as well as administration and implementation.
“Some construction worksites may not be entirely barred from passers-by public, thus, safety of these non-employee people should not be neglected by the project owners too. Worksite safety shall be of top priority and shall not be at stake in order to meet other contractual requirements, including project quality or rushing to meet completion deadlines.
“These approaches on HSE requirements compliance should be applied to all projects, regardless of their size and locality,” he said in a speech for the launch of the JKR Second Safety Forum 2017 on Tuesday, which was read by Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
Masing, who is also Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation, said contractors should show their fullest commitment to enhancing HSE if they wish to continue participating in development projects.
“These include complying with all legislative requirements, enhanced worksite HSE and improved workers’ welfare onsite. They should realise that implementing HSE initiatives or to be compliant to laws are not only for the sake of obliging legal requirements, but to save human life. Every person involved in the project has a role to play to ensure safe worksites,” he said.
“Undeniably, albeit all precautionary measures being taken, worksite accidents of all types such as near-misses, minor cases or major accidents with fatalities still happened. Analysis of past cases showed that most of these causes are human-related, besides machinery faults and factors.”
He pointed out that workers’ unsafe acts cause unsafe environments on worksites.
“I wish to remind you all that under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Osha 1994), they are responsible for the safety hazards they had created, causing harm to their peer workers at the same site, or people nearby the worksite, including passers-by.”
Masing said more official inspections are needed to identify potential risks and appropriate controls or risk mitigation could then be taken to reduce or eliminate the adverse impact of possible accidents.
He said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has envisaged Sarawak to become the most developed state in Malaysia by 2030 and hence worksite accidents should be prevented at all costs.
Masing also called on the Department of Occupational safety and Health ( Dosh), Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and Niosh to work with JKR, Institution of Engineers Malaysia and other sectors, to ensure HSE initiatives are effectively promoted and practised.