Govt wants commitment on safety from construction industry

KUALA LUMPUR: Following a recent construction site accident that almost killed a woman driving on the road nearby, the government wants commitment from all players from the construction industry to ensure safety at their work sites.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that all industry players, from consultants to supervisors and traffic management officers, should ensure that safety was given priority.

"Safety and health, to me, is very important.

It has to be given emphasis and focus. This is one of the areas that should be discussed in detail," he said in a speech to industry players on Tuesday (Sept 22).

Fadillah said the industry had to ensure the safety of not only their workers, but also members of the public walking or driving past construction sites.

On Saturday (Sept 19), a parapet wall slab from an ongoing highway construction site fell and hit a car along the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) in Bandar Tasik Selatan.

The woman driver escaped with an injured left hand, but her car was crushed.

Following this incident, Fadillah, together with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economic Affairs) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, held an engagement session with industry players from the construction sector.

The purpose of the session was to get feedback on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the construction sector.