Niosh: Have yearly audit for old high-rise buildings
PUTRAJAYA: The government has been urged to conduct yearly audit for old high-rise accommodation to ensure the safety of their tenants.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the audit should be applied to old office buildings to identify possible risks.
He said conducting inspection on old buildings would ensure that any problem, weaknesses and risks would be identified fast so that repairs could be carried out.
“Safety concerns are something that we can’t put off and ignore. (It) requires the government to give priority to safety to protect the people (who work or reside in old buildings),” said Lee at an occupational health and safety campaign held at the Pembinaan Mitrajaya project site here in Presint 5.
Present were Malaysian Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners’ Association president Datuk Dr Kanagaraja Raman and Pembinaan Mitrajaya project director Andy See Wee Wah.
Lee said this in reference to Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin’s statement that the government was empowered to repair and rebuild flats 30 years and above under the National Housing Policy.
She said this following evacuation of 118 Taman Keramat Permai flat Block F residents due to large cracks that appeared on the building on Friday.
Lee lauded Pembinaan Mitrajaya for promoting occupational safety and health, especially at its work sites, urging other stakeholders to do the same.