Worker falls from edifice

A 19-year-old man died after he fell from the 15th floor of a building construction at the corner of Leon Kilat and Sanciangko Sts., Cebu City at 2:15 p.m. yesterday.

He was identified as Nedefel Soco, a resident of Barangay Nangka, Consolacion.

Homicide investigators led by SPO1 Winston Ybañez learned that Soco was waterproofing the canopy when he fell. He was reportedly not wearing a safety harness.

Soco reportedly proceeded to the 15th floor without the permission of his supervisor. “Naay gitrabaho nga di trabaho niya dapat (He worked on task that wasn’t his),” Ybañez told radio dyAB.

Soco reportedly hit a galvanized iron, which was installed to serve as debris protector before landing hard on the cement de- livery truck parked on Sanciangko St. He was rushed to Velez Hospital in Cebu City, where he was declared dead.

Sought for comment, Cebu City Building Official Engr. Josefa Ylanan said she will be sending inspectors today to check the site. She said the contractor will give City Hall an incident report.

“If our inspectors will find any building violations, then we will have to stop all ongoing work in the site,” Ylanan said.

Officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 7 today will inspect the site.

Acting DOLE 7 Director Cyril Ticao said he will send a safety compliance officer to see if the contractor and building owner are liable for violating labor and safety standards. /