16 firms sued for violating safety
HAZARDS & RISK: Several employers were jailed and fined for violating guidelines
Sixteen establishments were taken to the court in 2016 for violating health and safety norms for workers, the Ministry of Manpower has tweeted.
The ministry, which carried out 1,328 field visits in the year, said the employers at several establishments were jailed and fined for violating these guidelines.
Health and safety at the construction sites have been a prime concern of the ministry following several tragedies last year.
Hussein Ali, a manager of a construction company based in Muscat, said his firm was seriously considering all precautionary measures at all its sites. “This is very essential. However, I see several sites with no basic health and safety measures. Sometimes I report such cases to the ministry,” he said.
He wants the ministry to intensify its field visits, especially at sites in the interior areas. “The number of violations are fewer in Muscat. Sites in interior areas lack the basic safety measures. A number of companies employ runaway workers or tie up with sub-contractors who don’t care about their workers,” said Hussein.
According to Article 87 of Oman Labour Law, every employer or his representative shall acquaint the worker, before employing him, with the hazards of his occupation and the protective measures he has to take.
It also says the employer shall take necessary precautions for the protection of workers during the course of their work against health hazards and dangers of work and machinery.
In the event of a violation, the employer or his representative shall be fined not less than RO 100 and not more than RO 500.
They could be jailed for not more than a month or subjected to one of the two penalties, says Article 118 B in the penalties chapter.
The penalty will be doubled for repeated violations.
The Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) statistics indicate 16 worksite mishaps occurred in 2013 and nine in 2014 because of lack of health and safety measures. Similar incidents were reported last year too.